Greasers And Socs Sleepover
by Crystalteen
Summary: A few months after the book takes place, Cherry invites the gang, including Randy and Marcia, to come over to her place for a sleepover...but what will all happen, exactly? This one-shot is for my great friend AlongTheBinding after they wrote 'The Carnival' for my b-day! Thanks, AlongTheBinding. Click and enjoy what all the Greasers and Socs will be up to at this sleepover.


**A/N: Hey, everyone! Look, I'm pretty sure you're all aware of **_**AlongTheBinding**_**, correct? If you're not, be sure to look 'em up! Since **_**AlongTheBinding**_ **is such an amazing friend of mine, and not to mention that they had created a one-shot for me, I'm creating this very one-shot to repay 'em. I **_**DO NOT **_**own Ryan! Ryan is **_**AlongTheBinding's**_**character, not mine! Same with Albert and Christopher! I only own Kitten, Cassidy, Jocelyn, and Mary! The rest of the credit goes to S.E. Hinton for her amazing work!**

**And, just to be warned, everyone in this one-shot is the exact same age from what age they're in "The Outsiders", and Kitten's Ponyboy's age, as well as Ryan, just in this one-shot, though. **

**Anyway, I hope yawl will love this one-shot of a greasers sleepover, along with Cherry, Randy, and Marcia. This is dedicated to my great friend, **_**AlongTheBinding**_**! Enjoy now! :D**

**Oh, and also, this takes place a couple of months after "The Outsiders" takes place, but Dally and Johnny survived their injuries, as if they never happened and they're now completely healed! **

People in Tulsa completely understood the differences between the Greasers and the Socials, but for certain Greasers and Socs, they secretly believe otherwise, some being forced into it while others just allowed it.

Sherri, or Cherry, Samantha Valence was one of them out of the Socs side of Tulsa to actually allow herself to fall head over heels for and sink into friendship with greasers, especially after she met Ponyboy Michael Curtis, Jonathan (Johnny) Alexander Cade, Two-Bit (Keith) Erwin Mathews, and Dallas Christopher Winston at the movies with her best gal pal, Marcia Carrington Thomas, who was actually one of the other Socs who secretly adored the greasers, especially Two-Bit Mathews.

Marcia has actually been carrying a crush on Two-Bit Mathews ever since she first spotted him at the movies. He might've been rip-roarin' drunk, but Marcia thought that he was actually pretty cute, and not to mention funny. That was Two-Bit for you. Man, did she regret giving him a phony phone number that night that was only a few months behind them all. She seriously missed his voice.

Lastly, Randy Jones Anderson was the last of the Socs who actually gave a hang about the greasers. He used to date Marcia, but after all of the drama between Bob being stabbed and killed by Johnny in order of self-defense to save Ponyboy from getting drowned, including the rumble that followed it, and remembering back to when he got so drunk with Bob that he almost started a fight with Two-Bit, Ponyboy, and Johnny, Randy knew that Marcia deserved better. He told her that to her face, too, and she cried just a little bit, right before she agreed to allow herself and Randy to go their parted ways as a couple and just be friends. Since Marcia was his first ever love, it was difficult to let her go, but Randy knew that it was for the best.

These three Socs were the only Socs in all of Tulsa to actually care and like the Greasers. Well, that is if you're in the Curtis's greasers gang, meaning that you were either Ponyboy, Sodapop, or Darry Curtis, or you could also be Steve Randle, Kitten Andrews, Two-Bit Mathews, Dallas Winston, Cassidy, Jocelyn, and Johnny Cade. Ten Greasers and three Socs who actually listened to each others stories and differences, likes and dislikes, accepting each other for who they were.

That was actually why Cherry had allowed her house to be used for a sleepover, but not for just her, Marcia, and other female Socs for a change. This time, Cherry had invited over not only Marcia and this time Randy as well, but she invited the Curtis's greasers gang, along with their friend, Ryan, who was exactly Ponyboy's and Kitten's age. Fourteen. Cherry, Randy, and Marcia actually completely cared about and liked Ryan for he was, too.

"You said your sister will be joining us tonight, Cherry?" Marcia questioned, sitting back on Cherry's completely soft and comfy bed, wearing her sparkly, white, lacey nightgown and a pair of warm, knee-length, colorful socks that didn't match her nightgown at all. Her right leg was crossed over her left one like a proper young lady as she sat there, and she watched as Cherry gazed at her reflection in her crystal mirror, making sure that her pajamas were alright as she tied her long, shiny, beautiful, red hair back into a silky ponytail.

"Yes. My mom ditched her with us tonight so she and my dad could go out on yet another date to this adults-only party, acting still as if we don't even exist." Cherry sighed, brushing her bangs up into her ponytail with her fingers, and finally tying in her hair tie that held up her ponytail beautifully.

Marcia pouted at what Cherry said about her and her sisters parents. Mr and Mrs. Valence were just like any other Socs parents. They were so busy spoiling them and treating them like royalty that they believe that their children have everything in the world, so they don't have to stick around with them much at all if they could do and say anything whenever and wherever they wanted.

Marcia actually knew Cherry's pain, as well did Randy, considering that _every _single Soc went through what Cherry and her sister did with their parents. Bob always attempted to get his folks attention when he was alive by coming home drunk and even cursing at them, but nothing ever worked. Bob's folks just blamed themselves and agreed to everything that Bob said to them. Nevertheless, Bob was no longer in the attention of life anymore. He's been dead for months.

"How old is Mary again?" Marcia asked. Mary Savannah Valence was Cherry's little sister, but she actually wasn't a baby, or a toddler, or even a little kid. She was a proper young lady, but she absolutely hated being labeled as a Soc. She didn't like being completely girly and frilly, considering that she was a tomboy, but hers and Cherry's parents, especially Mrs. Valence, ordered her to be just like them. High class and high scaled.

"Fourteen. She'll be fifteen in April." Cherry answered, not taking her eyes off of her reflection as she felt her hips and gazed up and down from her body to what her reflection was giving her. Marcia looked at her neatly painted nails a bit, but when she heard Cherry saying her name a bit, she stared back up to now see Cherry looking back at her.

"Does this look okay on me?" Cherry questioned about her pajamas. She was wearing a neon green pajama tank-top that revealed her bellybutton, and it had a neon pink heart decorated onto its center, and her pajama pants were a pair of matching shorts. Lastly, being worn on her feet were a pair of fuzzy white bunny slippers. She was certainly a sleepover hottie, which is what young males in Tulsa usually referred to pretty girls during their sleepovers as.

"Cherry, you look fine. There's nothing to worry about. It's not like Hollywood people are coming to knock on your door and have you walk down the red carpet. The Curtis's gang is just coming over, remember?" Marcia chuckled at her own joke there, lost in the thought of her, Cherry, and Randy actually heading down the red carpet in Hollywood with them dressed in their pajamas. "Toss me my robe, would you?"

Cherry couldn't help herself to smile at her best female friend as she snatched up Marcia's soft, plush, white robe that was decorated with light, light pink roses, then tossed it. Marcia caught it perfectly without any troubles, and she simply slipped it on. Seriously, Marcia was just like the female version of Two-Bit.

"Randy still in the bathroom?" Cherry asked.

"Yep. He's still getting changed in there, and he's also making sure he has everything in his bag for tonight, since we're going swimming in a few and whatnot." Marcia answered.

The Valence's pool was so huge and beautiful, the water always sparkling and dazzling. It was also always so warm, and the Valence's pool also contained two waterslides, a diving bored, and lastly, a hot tub that was connected into the stone path that was carved around the Valence's pool in the backyard.

"Well, we must remember that this is the first time Mary's meeting the Curtis's gang, so we must keep a sharp eye on her, got it?" Cherry asked. Marcia instantly nodded her head, not needing a single moment to hesitate and think the question twice.

"How does Mary even think about the greasers? I mean, what's her thoughts on them?" Marcia asked.

That was actually a great question, Cherry thought to herself. Mary was just like a greaser, minus the smoking and drinking, but she looked like a Soc, whether she liked it or not. She actually hated it to death.

"She actually is fond of them, especially after she overheard us speaking about Ryan a couple weeks back. She told me that she thought Ryan sounded interesting." Cherry shared as she formed a smile, and she glanced over her shoulder to realize that Marcia knew what that smile meant, because she was now grinning right back. Cherry gave Marcia a joking wink to fit in with what they were thinking, and the two of them laughed, knowing that the sleepover was going to absolutely be something.

Meanwhile at the Curtis's house, the greasers were each rushing and running around, everybody making sure that their pajamas were on their bodies correctly with their buttons or zippers fixed correctly, while everyone also, minus Ryan, made sure that their hair was each combed with at least some hair grease applied in. Ryan's chestnut-colored hair remained like its usual uncombed and shagged up style, but he did add some hair grease into it, considering that Steve forced him to do so.

"I still can't believe I'm actually allowing myself to be sunk into this sleepover at some Socs house." Dallas complained, leaning in the Curtis's hollow doorway that entered the kitchen, wearing nothing but a pair of his pajama pants and his shoes. Dally always slept shirtless, just like Darry did once in awhile.

"I only thought little girls were supposed to have sleepovers!" Dally then announced for everyone else to hear as they all continued to rush around, collecting up their bags that contained their swimsuits, hair grease, morning clothes for the next day, and whatever else they packed, like how Ryan packed his sketchpad, and Ponyboy and Kitten both packed themselves a book or two to read if they ever needed or just wanted to.

"Dallas, we've been over this already!" Darry exclaimed as he slipped on one of his pajama T-shirts that showed off every muscle he had on his chest. "Cherry invited us so we could all grow even more closer with each other! Besides, we haven't seen much of her, Randy, and/or Marcia for a long time now! Just suck it up already!"

Dallas secretly rolled his eyes as he flipped out his switchblade from a one of his bags zipped up compartments, using it to clean some dirt out from underneath his nails.

"Whatever. Let's just get this show on the road sooner or later. We're supposed to be there by 7:00, and it's already 6:50." Dally pointed out in an uncaring and flat tone, his dark eyes lost in what he was doing with his switchblade.

"Thanks for the update!" Darry moaned with nothing but annoyed and angry thoughts and feelings in his voice between gritted teeth.

"No problem, man. It's what I'm here for." Dally snickered a bit towards his own little "joke" that he had just said to the eldest Curtis, who just rolled his eyes in an annoyed manner when he caught Dally's words, and Darry mumbled some words to himself, but nobody could make out what he was saying.

"Aw, come on, Dal. This is Cherry's place we're talking about. It'll be real tuff." Johnny said, sitting there on the couch in his dark blue and white plaid pajama shirt and matching pants with his packed bag resting there to his right side, and on his left, there sat twelve-year-old Cassidy, who was getting her hair braided into two separate braids by Kitten.

Upon the eldest Cade's lap was seven-month-old Jocelyn, who was dressed in a pair of her rainbow butterfly footsie pajamas, nibbling and drooling all over her fingers, with her little jet-black and bouncy curls tied back into a short little ponytail.

"Johnny, we don't belong on the Socs side of town. I seriously wish Cherry could just drive over here herself. Same with Randy and Marcia." Dally complained, even though the tone of his voice didn't sound any different from his usual flat and uncaring tone.

"Dally, I'm pretty sure others will greatly notice a mustang and two corvettes drive up and park in front of a place like this on our side of town." Ponyboy informed, feeling his face as he looked at his reflection that was hanging there on the wall next to the bookshelf in the living room, making sure he didn't have a stubble or anything like that, considering that Pony wasn't so fond of facial hair.

"Need I remind you that this place is our home, kid brother?" Darry questioned Ponyboy. "Perhaps you can help Soda and I pay the bills with your allowance! Maybe you can even get a job, too, little buddy!"

"I'll pass!" Ponyboy smiled and laughed, turning himself back around to see everyone in the gang there except Two-Bit, who was in the bathroom, Steve, who was in the kitchen with Soda, and lastly Ryan…but nobody knew actually where Ryan was. Confusingly, Pony's smile vanished as he cocked an eyebrow, a trick that he had picked up from Two-Bit.

"Say, where's Ryan?" the youngest Curtis asked, and just as everyone started gazing back and forth, side to side, and even up to down, Darry just simply shrugged his shoulders, then spoke up saying, "He's still upstairs in the guest room. He's properly still packing or something. Fetch him, will ya, Ponyboy? I need to get Mr. Drunken Lazy out of the bathroom."

Everyone knew that the eldest Curtis was referring to Two-Bit, and they each actually secretly gave Two-Bit the nickname Mr. Drunken Lazy, whether he was drunk or not, because he wasn't at that time, and it was true that Two-Bit…well, he wasn't lazy, but he wasn't the active one to want to do much either.

Ryan was dressed in a pair of his pajamas and was ready to go to head on out to Cherry's house for the sleepover, but he was also nervous to go at the same time, because this would be the first time he'd ever be heading over to a Socs house instead of Cherry, Marcia, and Randy coming over to the Curtis's house just to hang out instead. Not only that, but this sleepover wasn't going to be just a hang out type of thing. It was a staying all night till morning thing.

There Ryan sat on the guest rooms neatly made bed under the Curtis's roof, his legs curled up and folded underneath his body as he sat there. His chestnut-colored, decently long, uncombed, hair greased applied hair slightly dangled in his face as he stared down at what he was holding in his lap. A stuffed lion toy, its mane all mattered with one of its ears recently sewed back on, and one of its black buttoned eyes were missing. There was actually a story behind that stuffed lion, but Ryan never had the guts to speak up with it, because nobody knew about him having that stuffed lion because he was fourteen, and he thought it was childish to have a stuffed animal at that age.

"Ryan! Ryan! Come on, we got to go, man!" came Ponyboy's voice suddenly from the opposite side of the guest rooms closed door. Ryan's eyes shot huge as he flinched a bit after hearing Pony's voice suddenly jingle out from the other side of the guest room. Quickly without any hesitation, Ryan leaped off from the bed, and he dropped his stuffed lion down into his blue sleeping bag. He didn't want anybody to see it, including Ponyboy and anybody in the gang for that matter.

"I'm coming, Pony!" Ryan's voice slightly jittered, since he was still feeling his heart rapidly beat in his chest after hearing Ponyboy's voice break the silence he had when he was just looking at his stuffed lion.

"Well, I'd hate to rush you if you're still not ready, but we're leaving now!" Ponyboy stated, just as Ryan quickly rolled up his sleeping-bag, which contained his stuffed lion that was now safely hidden there in the foot of the warm and comfy fabric.

"Don't worry, Ponyboy! I'm coming!" Ryan said as he swung his packed bag over his shoulder and held it there with one hand, and he used his other hand to hold his rolled up sleeping-bag, keeping it pinned where it was underneath his arm and against his ribs.

"What took you so long?" Ponyboy politely and kindly asked after Ryan opened the door. Ryan stared at him, his eyes slimly widened as he shrugged his shoulders. He exited the Curtis's guest room, closing the door carefully and softly so the sound wouldn't make him flinch or yelp in front of Ponyboy. Poor Ryan suffered from PTSD because his father, Albert, was mighty abusive, but luckily, Ryan loved and counted greatly on his older brother, Christopher, but he called him Gopher, just like he called Ryan Lion.

"Let's just go." Ryan softly spoke. That boy was quieter than Johnny and his little sisters combined, and Cade's understood what it was like to be beaten by their own father. Kitten actually sometimes knew what that was like, too, so Ryan wasn't alone, but he didn't like talking about it, so nobody else in the gang brought it up.

Ponyboy stared at Ryan for a second, and Ryan just looked right back, his eyes still remaining a little bit big from still being a little shaky. The youngest Curtis wanted to pout, knowing that he startled Ryan on the inside, but he didn't want to seem rude or make Ryan feel bad about himself. So, Ponyboy only carefully allowed Ryan to slowly study his moving arm, making sure he wouldn't flinch, and Pony placed a protective arm over Ryan's shoulders.

"I promise you, Ryan…tonight will be fun. We'll each have a blast, even Dallas, whether he admits it or not." Ponyboy promised, giving Ryan's shoulder a little comforting squeeze before he carefully and gently removed his arm from resting around him. "And besides, you've met Cherry, Marcia, and Randy before. They're not going to be any different tonight from who they are during the day." Pony added.

Ryan shrugged his shoulders, quivering his lip a bit in an nervous manner as he looked down at his feet, pretending to study what pair of pajamas he had on. He tightly held his bag and sleeping-bag close to him when taking a moment to think about and digest Ponyboy's words. Ryan's eyes swam with nervousness, thinking heavily about what Ponyboy just said. Yes, he trusted Cherry, Randy, and Marcia greatly, just like the rest of the Curtis's gang, but he's never actually slept over at anyone's house before.

"Come on, Ryan." Ponyboy motioned Ryan to follow him. "Let's get going."

The car ride to Cherry's mansion was filled with Dally's complaining, Steve's and Soda's playful punches at each other, Two-Bit's wisecracking jokes, and some Elvis tunes that were cranked up on the radio with Darry driving and Ryan buckled into the passengers seat. He was remaining quiet the entire ride, and when the Curtis's gang actually _did _enter Soc territory, Ryan sank down in his seat, feeling his heart rapidly beat like a wild and crazy drum in his chest as a sick knot of nervousness tightened up in the pit of his stomach. Kitten, Ponyboy, Johnny, Jocelyn, and Cassidy didn't actually bother to talk either during the ride to Cherry's, but they weren't nervous at all compared to Ryan.

"Wahoo! Time to party!" Two-Bit cheered as he hopped out of Darry's truck after he parked it in front of Cherry's mansion. The others unbuckled their seatbelts and followed Two-Bit's example, Ryan being the most hesitant as he stared out the window, seeing how big, tall, and fancy Cherry's house looked. His eyes grew huge as he took down a secret gulp to help him clear a new sudden lump that was resting in his throat.

"Come on, Rye!" Soda cheerfully and excitedly exclaimed, but he really could've played that one better, because he broke Ryan's silence to himself, causing the poor fourteen-year-old to yelp and flinch a little. Ryan let out a sigh of relief after realizing it was just Sodapop, and he nodded his head, now hiding his nervousness the best he could as he got out of the car.

Everyone made sure that they closed the trucks doors quietly, so they wouldn't scare Ryan and make him yelp and/or flinch anymore. After doing so, Soda and Two-Bit skipped up to the front door of Cherry's mansion, while everybody else just simply walked with their own packed bags and sleeping-bags that were rolled up neatly.

Dally lit up a cancer-stick and started smoking it, acting as if it wasn't a big deal, even though neither of them had ever been over at Cherry's house before. Dallas couldn't care less, though. He was acting like the gang was coming over to his place or to a greasers hangout, like the Dingo, or something like that.

When the gang reached the porch that was covered with fancy patted chairs and different beautiful, expensive looking porch swings, before anyone got a chance to ring the doorbell or knock on the door, Darry had picked up the scent of the smoke from Dally's cigarette. The eldest Curtis gazed over his shoulder and cocked his eyebrow, giving Dally a look that said, "You're kidding me, right?"

"What?" Dally shrugged his shoulders, right before he took another drag of his weed, and then released another breath that contained a puff of gray. "We're all friends who understand each other here." Dally reminded.

Darry didn't say anything back. Nobody did. Darry just rolled his eyes before turning himself back around, and he gently made his fist meet the glass door of Cherry's house, knocking on it a few times. It wasn't a long wait after the eldest Curtis knocked on the door for the sound of its lock unlocking from the other side be heard. The sudden sound made Ryan wince a little, but luckily, nobody caught him. They were each too busy caught up in watching the front door, except Dallas, who was smoking his cigarette and blowing perfect smoke rings up in the late evening air. It was actually only 7:00, but since it was summer, it was still light out.

The door then opened, and there stood in the doorway was none other than Cherry and Marcia, both having their wide and gorgeous smiles spread upon their faces when their eyes met the gang. Everyone smiled back, except Dally, who was still smoking his cancer-stick, and Ryan had to force himself to grin, because he was still so nervous about staying the night someplace for the first time ever in his whole life. Not only that, but not only was this the first time Ryan was sleeping over somewhere, but he was thinking that it just _had _to be on Soc territory.

"Hey, gang! Curtis's! Cade's! Andrews! Mathews! Randle!" Cherry greeted each of the Curtis's greasers gang members by their last names, giving them each her beautiful smile when saying their last name, but when she got to stare at Dally, she hesitated. Her emerald green eyes melted at how cute she secretly thought Dallas looked shirtless.

When Dally didn't hear his last name get addressed, he glanced up, his cigarette hanging out of his mouth, and when he noticed how Cherry was concentrating on him, completely lost, he took his cigarette out of his mouth and put it out, grinning his rare smile with his eyebrows raised.

"Enjoying the view, you darling redhead?" Dally snickered, his dark eyes glimmering with satisfaction. Cherry's face turned a bright, bright red from slight embarrassment as the gang, including Marcia and Ryan, held back their own laughter the best they could.

Cherry formed a smirk, playful deviousness now shining off of her eyes as she looked back at Dally. "Don't flatter yourself, Winston!" Cherry laughed softly and in an absolute friendly manner. Cherry really grew close to Dallas ever since she heard the news about him almost dying from getting shot by the fuzz seven or so times a few months back.

Nevertheless, at that moment, the redhead Soc didn't use her head, because she rose her hand and playful smacked Dally across the face. Ryan's eyes shot huge as he released a hearable gasp, and he leaped back so fast that he almost tripped and fell over his own feet. Luckily though, Kitten caught him from behind and hauled him back up until he was perfectly, but shakily a bit, balanced again from catching him underneath his arms.

Everyone gazed around, now looking directly at Ryan, who's eyes were filled with plead as he glanced down at his shoes, feeling his face heating up along with his ears from feeling so, so embarrassed on how everybody heard him gasp like that.

"Oh my god!" Cherry gasped "Ryan, I'm so sorry! I forgot!"

She studied her hand, noticing how it was turning red a bit since her smack was a little hard, but not _that _hard, and it was supposed to be a playful slap. Dally touched his cheek where it was starting to turn the same shade of red that matched Cherry's hand, feeling it sting just a little bit, but he knew that Cherry was only messing around with him. So, all Dally did was grin a flattered smile.

"Don't worry, Ryan the Lion. I'm fine. It wasn't anything major. The redhead is just playful with us." Dallas explained through his chuckles and snickers from finding it somewhat funny that Cherry slapped him.

Ryan narrowed his eyes, still keeping his full, undivided attention down on his shoes. "As long as she doesn't do that to me, it's fine." Ryan said quietly.

"Lion, I'm seriously so-" Cherry began to apologize, adding in Ryan's nickname to help her apology even more, but she just decided to shut herself up when Ryan shot her an innocent look, meaning that he was telling her that it was all good, and to please not to do that again. Cherry took in a deep, but soft breath, then released it as she nodded her head a few times at Ryan.

"Alrighty then…" Cherry sighed "you guys, and gals, ready to come inside for the sleepover?"

There was no hesitation at all for the gang to each cheer and nod their heads with excitement dazzling in each of their eyes. Cherry and Marcia both exchanged their new grins for a couple of seconds before they smiled back at the Curtis's greasers gang.

"Then follow me to the living room. That's where the main time of the sleepover will be held." Cherry flipped her ponytail back over her shoulder, before she turned herself away and headed away from the doorstep.

"Hey, Marcia." Two-Bit greeted the short black-haired Soc after being the fourth greaser to enter Cherry's clean, beautiful, and fancy mansion. "Long time no see. I heard 'bout Randy breaking up with you…sorry about that."

To Two-Bit's surprise, bringing up the break-up actually didn't bother Marcia. She was smiling wonderfully and beautifully at him, having a hard time believing that Two-Bit was actually being kind to her when she gave him a phony phone number when she first met him at the movies with Cherry, and he was rip-roaring drunk at the time.

"Keith," Marcia began speaking, but Two-Bit instantly cut her off. Surprisingly, his voice wasn't demanding, though, and his facial expression didn't flash with anger or annoyance at all. He remained grinning that same goofy smile of his, as his eyes sparkled with happiness. He was just glad to see Marcia again.

"Two-Bit." Two-Bit instantly corrected Marcia, the tone of his voice generous and polite, which certainly surprised Marcia.

"Two-Bit," Marcia giggled "it's nice to see you again, too."

Suddenly, a pout tugged on Marcia's lips, and Two-Bit confusingly cocked an eyebrow at her, but before he could ask her what was wrong, she sighed out the words, "Look…Kei-I mean, Two-Bit…about what happened at the movies months ago, I shouldn't have…well, you know how I-"

Two-Bit knew what she was getting at, so he placed his hands up to his shoulders, meaning that he didn't need to hear another word.

"Don't worry about it, Marcia…you still dig okay, ya know?" Two-Bit smirked "and by the way…that nightgown looks extremely good on you…I never knew Socs would actually clash colors like that ever either."

Marcia tucked some of her black strands of hair behind her earring pierced ear as she glanced down at her feet, and she knew that Two-Bit was referring to her colorful knee-length socks not going with her lacey nightgown. Playfully, Marcia punched Two-Bit's arm, making sure Ryan wasn't around first before doing so, and the two of them chuckled together.

"Two-Bit…don't worry about Randy and I, okay? It's fine." Marcia assured.

Two-Bit continued to grin his goofy smile as he nodded his head with satisfaction, as he mumbled out the words happily, "Good to know."

"Hey, you two!" Dally's voice suddenly came ringing from across the slimly medium-sized hallway in the huge arch doorway that entered the Valence's living room. Two-Bit and Marcia quickly flashed their full, undivided attention over to Dallas, who's arms were crossed over his bare chest as he leaned there, smirking at Two-Bit.

"Havin' fun already, Mathews?" Dally snickered. Marcia's face heated up as she just stared at her nails, trying her best to act natural. Two-Bit, on the other hand, crossed his arms over his aqua pajama shirt that had Mickey Mouse's face printed on it, and he narrowed his eyes sharply at Dally.

"What do ya want, Winston?" Two-Bit grumbled. Dallas wiped the smirk off from his face and rolled his eyes in an annoyed manner towards the wisecracker.

"In the Valence's living room," Dally explained, motioning Two-Bit and Marcia to follow him. The rest of the gang, including Cherry, was already in there. "There's a young girl." Dally informed.

"A young girl?" Two-Bit questioned, and he quickly scampered into the Valence's living room. Marcia frowned a little and followed, but she was slower, because she knew what young girl Dally was speaking of.

The Valence's living room was beautiful; big and clean, definitely organized and luxurious. The Curtis's greasers gang each seriously couldn't believe their eyes. The furniture still looked new with no stains or tears in the fabric at all. As for the pastel pink painted walls that were neatly detailed with different types of flowers, the paint wasn't chipping at all, and there was no water damage either. The pillows on the couches were neatly arranged, and the glassy like, marble white fireplace was already crackling a nice, warm, cozy fire. It might've been summer and hot outside, but the Valence's house was usually drafty and chilly quite a bit and quite often. There were many vases and other priceless items scattered around on shelves, and some flowers were placed around, splashing off every color from a rainbow indoors. Lavender lily, golden yellow, cotton-candy pink, seawater blue, you name it. Each color was there inside the Valence's living room. A tuff TV was hanging on the wall over the fireplace also, and the stereo was turned on, but the music was at a low volume for that time. The floor was such shiny and clean wood, but it had a huge white, fuzzy, square rug there in the center of the entire living room, which is where the gang would each lay their sleeping-bags, and they'd sleep there on the rug to keep extra cozy and comfortable.

"Dang…" Two-Bit murmured to himself, keeping his eyes glued on one thing to the next, his mouth gaped open a little and surprised level rising in himself. He knew that Socs were rich and spoiled, but he never thought at all with them being _that _rich and spoiled! It was nearly insane according to the greasers!

There was this lady, who looked about thirty or so, wearing a long, red, sparkly gown and a matching pair of high-heels on her feet. Her long blonde hair was scrunched into many different types of silky curls, and her white skin looked so smooth like a little newborns. Her eyes were emerald green, just like Cherry's eyes were, but this lady's eyes were filled with rage and bitterness, while Cherry's were filled with innocence and care. That lady was none other than Mrs. Valence, and she was actually hollering at this younger girl that Dallas was speaking of in front of everybody.

"I can't believe you! Trying to use our newly bought sheets and clean blankets, along with our dining room chairs and couch pillows to make a ridiculous fort! For God's sake, you're fourteen years old! It's time for you to grow up, Marnie!" Mrs. Valence bitterly exclaimed, pointing in such a harsh way at the young white girl who was just standing there, eager to scratch at her short red hair that was tied back in a little ponytail since it wasn't her style.

This younger girl was settled to be fourteen according to Mrs. Valence, and she looked exactly like Cherry, only younger, and with shorter red hair. Also, this girl had crystal blue eyes, not emerald green.

"Mother, you can't tell me when to grow up! I'm still your child no matter what, unfortunately! It's best if you just butt out of my life! And for the last time, my name is Mary, not Marnie!" the younger redhead girl bellowed back at Mrs. Valence, not giving a hang what her mom would possibly say and/or do back.

"Mom! Mary! Please!" Cherry begged, her face now completely beating red from embarrassment with witnessing yet another argument between her mom and little sister in front of her friends. However, it was as if Cherry wasn't even there, because Mrs. Valence and Mary were still going at it, bickering back and forth at each other, as if tomorrow didn't exist.

However, it all ended completely badly when Mrs. Valence swung her hand back and brought it back forward afterwards, making it sharply meet Mary's face, sending the poor fourteen-year-old girl to the floor with a _**thump **_sound after she instantly received the slap.

Ryan winced, now paled completely as he began feeling sick to his stomach from remembering dark memories with his father doing things like that to him. Soda and Steve both literally caught Ryan when he nearly fell down to the floor himself after witnessing what just happened. As for everyone else in the gang, their eyes were just huger than ever before since they entered Cherry's mansion.

Johnny covered Jocelyn's eyes and ears as he held her, and Cassidy grasped herself close to Johnny with her arms staying connected around him tightly. Kitten literally needed to be held back by Dally and Darry, otherwise Mrs. Valence would be getting such foul language as she got taken down herself after doing such a thing to such an innocent girl.

"Mother!" Cherry gasped, quickly helping her little sister up from the floor by reaching one of her hands down for her to take, but when she didn't from feeling too upset in what just happened, Cherry grasped her waist gently and picked her back up on her feet. After she was rebalanced, Cherry shot a scowl like facial expression at Mrs. Valance.

"You don't hit Mary!" Cherry exclaimed, wishing that she could sound stern, but she just couldn't pull it off when talking to the woman who brought her and her kid sister into the world.

"Sherri, please, this has nothing to do with you. Marnie-" Mrs. Valence began speaking, but Cherry shook her head, which instantly got Mrs. Valence to stop talking.

"My sister, my business, Mom. And her name is Mary, not Marnie." Cherry instructed, but Mrs. Valance just rolled her eyes.

Ryan glanced at Mary, seeing how angry she looked glaring at Mrs. Valence, even though tears were slightly starting to form in the corner of her eyes, and she was gingerly touching her cheek from where it was starting to turn red from receiving such a hard and striking smack.

For some reason, Ryan felt this sudden warmth start to glow within his entire body, but he didn't fully understand why. Actually, scratch that. Ryan was truly completely lost in why he was suddenly feeling this strange warmth within his body out of nowhere.

In Ryan's opinion, Mary looked nice, so he didn't see why her own mother would want to smack her…then again…Ryan knew what it was like it be in her shoes, except he would be getting it from his old man for no reason at all, and if there actually _was _a reason, then it would be a mighty ridiculous one that didn't even make sense most of the time.

Mrs. Valence, arms now folded over her breasts, rolled her emerald green eyes in an uncaring manner towards Cherry's "order", and as if on que, here came Mr. Valence coming down the wide, fancy, carpeted stairway that was right outside the entrance of the living room, to the right against the wall.

Mr. Valence also had perfect white skin, but his eyes were crystal blue, which is where Mary got here eye color from. Both of the Valence daughters also got their hair color from their father. He was no different from their mother, however. While Mrs. Valence mostly lectured them when giving Mary some smacks and hits here and there, Mr. Valence just sat back, listening and/or witnessing it all with his own eyes and ears, but he doesn't care to speak up and stop it. He just allowed it all to happen, because he thought he could make it up to his daughters by getting them anything they wanted, and allowing them to do and say whatever they wanted and whenever they wanted. Nevertheless, Mary and Cherry both hated that.

None of the greasers parents were like that…well, except Ryan's father, the Cade's folks, and Two-Bit's father. Even Dally's parents weren't harsh like the Valence's folks! Mr and Mrs. Curtis were both golden and tuff parents, but it was too bad that they were dead from that terrible auto wreck that took place a couple years back.

"What's going on here?" Mr. Valence asked, fixing his red tie that matched Mrs. Valence's dress around his neck. "Dear, why are these lower class teens here?" Mr. Valence then asked his wife. She opened her mouth to reply, but Cherry quickly beat her to it.

"Daddy, these are my friends!"

Mr. Valence took a careful examine around at each of the greasers, his eyebrows raised and eyes filled with the words, "You're kidding me." in an annoyed and sarcastic manner.

"When we agreed with you to have this sleepover, Sherri…" Mr. Valence sighed "we thought you meant only with some of your Soc friends."

"Agreed?!" Cherry shook her head in disbelief. "You two wouldn't even listen to what I had to say! You just tuned me out and treated me like last weeks news!"

"Sherri, complaining is not lady like. You're fifteen. You're not a complaining little kid anymore." Mrs. Valence pointed out.

Cherry sighed and shook her head after she took in what her mom just said to her. "I'm sixteen, not fifteen, Mother…and whatever…just leave to your adults-only party already so my friends and I can get our sleepover started."

Mr. Valence shrugged his shoulders. Sure, Mary thought to herself as she rolled her slightly tearful eyes. _That _he actually cared to catch correctly.

"Alright, Sherri. We'll be back around noon tomorrow. Oh! And just remember that I'll know if anything is stolen when your mother and I arrive back tomorrow." Mr. Valence warned, shooting off a death-mock stare at each of the greasers.

Johnny held his sisters closer to him, while Dally and Darry just rolled their eyes along with Steve also. Two-Bit and Soda only exchanged looks, and it was then Ponyboy's and Kitten's turn to catch Ryan when he almost fell back from remembering how his father shot him rage filled eyes and gave him a stern tone like that 24/7.

"Can Mary and I live with your family?" Cherry asked Marcia after hers and Mary's folks left out the front door of the house. The slamming of it shut made Ryan yelp and flinch as his heart starting pounding rapidly in his chest again, but he allowed Kitten to wrap her arms around him, giving him a comforting hug as she whispered promises to him about everything and everyone would be alright. That helped Ryan a little.

Marcia was now crying only a little bit due to what she just witnessed all with her best friends parents, and she needed a moment of hesitation to think about Cherry's question. It hurt knowing for a fact that Cherry was actually serious.

Nevertheless, Marcia shook her head, assuring Cherry the exact words, "You guys wouldn't like it."

"Hey, everyone!" suddenly came Randy's voice as he entered the living room, dressed now in his white pajama muscle shirt and narrow and vertical striped, black and red pajama pants. Everybody in the room turned their full, undivided attention around to Randy, and when he saw the looks on each of their faces, he knew that something had happened when he was in the upstairs bathroom.

"Did I just miss something right here?" Randy questioned, holding his hands up to his shoulders in a defending way.

"Yeah, but it's fine." Mary replied, and everyone was now gazing back at her, watching as she removed her hand from gingerly touching her cheek. She grinned this adorable and pretty smile, as if she wasn't even upset to begin with after what happened between her and Mrs. Valence.

"So _you _are the famous greasers that Randy, Marcia, and my sister never stop bragging on about!" Mary giggled "the names Mary, not Marnie. Mary Savannah Valence."

Ponyboy smiled when Mary gazed right at him and continued to grin her darling smile back at him.

"Cherry, I didn't know you had a sister!" Ponyboy gasped, surprised, but it was in a good way, of course. His mouth was now gaped open in a smiling form from being so surprised in finding out that Cherry actually had a sibling. He thought that she was the only child.

Cherry formed a grin upon her lips and she playfully rolled her eyes after she digested Ponyboy's words. She slimly giggled a bit at the facial expression that Pony now had plastered on his face also.

"Well, yeah. You just never asked." Cherry placed her hands on Mary's shoulders, giving them both a bonding, caring, and loving squeeze. "Gang, meet Mary, my fourteen-year-old kid sister. Mary, meet the Curtis's greasers gang."

Mary smiled widely and beautifully again as she placed her fists on her hips, a trick that she had picked up from both her older sister and Marcia since she spent so much time either with them, or secretly spying on them like any other little sibling would do.

"By everything you, Randy, and Marcia told me 'bout 'em, I feel like I already met them over one hundred times!" Mary laughed "but it's nice to actually meet you guys, and girls, finally. I've been wondering about you greasers ever since I've first overheard Marcia and Cherry talk about it when they got back from the movies months back."

Cherry's face turned bright red again as she smiled shyly a bit up at the gang, who were each grinning proudly back at her. Marcia blushed a little herself when Two-Bit flashed her a grin, and Randy just pretended to whistle a tune and act completely innocent.

The Curtis's gang chuckled a bit, except Dally, who just stuck to grinning a bit, and Ryan was only remaining nervous, questioning to himself about why he was suddenly feeling this strange warmth when he first caught the view of Mary's face.

Mary stepped forward, smiling proudly, as she stood there then in front of Darry, and she stuck out her hand.

"You must be Darry, the oldest and the leader of the gang, correct?"

"Why, yes." Darry smiled as he gently grasped the younger girls hand and shook it for about three seconds, releasing it afterwards. "Nice to meet you, Mary."

"You, too." Mary nodded her head, still grinning, as she continued on guessing each of the greasers names correctly and shaking their hands in such a caring and gleeful manner.

Man, for a fourteen-year-old, Mary had quite some manners. Although, she looked like she contained plenty of manners by her short red hair being neatly tied back in that small ponytail of hers, and with her wearing a silky pair of expensive looking pajamas with clean, brown, fuzzy bunny slippers being worn on her feet. But Ryan had a different approach towards this Mary…thinking to himself that looks can be mistaken for peoples actually personalities.

Quickly, Ryan looked down at his bare feet after he realized Mary was now grinning in his direction. Ryan had to admit to himself that Mary had one heck of a sweet smile, but he didn't feel so sure about trusting her or anything like that yet.

Ryan's heart pounded rapidly in his chest after he watched Mary's brunette bunny slippers come into his view when he kept his shy and nervous filled eyes down on his feet.

"And lastly, you must be Orion." Mary greeted.

"Ryan." all of the greasers voices quickly corrected the fourteen-year-old redhead girl.

"I mean Ryan…sorry about that." Mary sighed with some phony, but realistic sounding chuckles to hide her sudden embarrassment. Ryan's eyes shot huge as he released a gasp, his skin flushing to sheet white, and he leaped back into Kitten's and Ponyboy's arms after Mary's hand shot out in front of her only so she could shake his hand to greet him with an even more welcoming open arms like she did with all of the others. Ryan couldn't help it, though. It was a force of habit all because of being whipped and beaten by his father.

Everyone shot their full, undivided attention over to Ryan, all of them knowing the problem, except Mary, who was the only one who looked now worried and ashamed in herself. She didn't know why Ryan leaped back from her when she shot her hand out for him to shake it, but she _did _know that she must've did something that wasn't right towards Ryan. Slowly, Mary placed her hand back down at her side.

Ryan uncomfortably started to tug at the bottom of his long sleeves of his pajama shirt, keeping his pleading and shy eyes on Mary to realize how hurt, but yet embarrassed, she now looked.

"…I'm sorry…" Mary sighed "…if you'll excuse me, please…"

Without another single word being spoken by anybody, the young redhead took off running out of the fancy living room, and she continued her way up the stairs. Ryan could've sworn he broke her heart, which made him feel absolutely terrible, considering that he just met this girl, and he thought he should've known that she was only reaching her hand out to shake his, but however, Ryan didn't know that he was wrong about Mary actually being broken hearted because of him.

Cherry pouted, her eyes glimmering off sorrow as she curled up her right hands pointer finger, holding it over her lips in a sorrow manner as well. Randy frowned himself and stared down at his bare feet, while Marcia sighed, and the Curtis's greasers gang exchanged different facial expressions.

"I'm sorry about her, Ryan." Cherry apologized "sometimes I think she's trying too hard to be such the greeter when meeting new people. I can't blame her for that though."

"…Why's that?" Ryan hesitantly questioned. "I mean, I don't think she's _that _bad of a person, and I don't have anything against her, but why does she act like that so fast?"

Cherry continued to pout as she shrugged her shoulders. "Well, Mary's a loner. She has truly nobody except me, Randy, and Marcia." Cherry informed.

"And actually," Randy's voice traveled into the conversation, which instantly gained over the Curtis's greasers gang full, undivided attention over to the only male Soc that was there. "If it wasn't for Cherry," Randy continued on, now pouting himself again. "Mary actually would only have her older sis…their folks don't give a hang about their interests or anything like that, and Mary has a hard time making friends." Randy finished.

"Yeah…" Marcia nodded her head will full agreement, but before she could speak another word, Cherry earned back everyone's full, undivided attention by exclaiming out, "Ya know, I don't feel comfortable talking about this!"

Ryan flinched a bit, and Cherry's eyes battered with pleads and begs for yet for forgiveness as she sighed yet another apology after realizing the sudden tone of her voice had changed into a slightly angrier tone.

"Look, I'm not trying to be rude, but this sleepover is supposed to be fun and thrilling, not heartbreaking and filled with sorrow." Cherry explained. Everyone kept their eyes on her as she walked over to the huge, wide arch doorway that entered back into the entrance hallway, then stopped so she could look over her shoulder back at them all.

"Please follow me." Cherry then kindly instructed. "I want to show you all where the bathroom down here is, and give you the tour of the kitchen, dining room, and the backyard, which is when I'll tell you what all is planned for tonight."

"Where should we put our stuff first, Cherry?" Kitten questioned, gazing down at her rolled up leopard-patterned sleeping-bag and matching packed case that she was still holding, just like everyone else was still doing with their own stuff.

"Just place it around in a circle there on the white carpet in front of the fireplace. Unroll your sleeping-bags if you wish now also, and then come with me." Cherry instructed with her beautiful grin now back on her face, and Marcia and Randy were already at her sides, because they've been ready for quite some time now, and they already knew Cherry's mansion top to bottom by heart.

The greasers each did what Cherry politely told them to do, resting their own packed bags and cases down inbetween each others now unrolled sleeping-bags.

But Ryan was hesitant, not wanting to unroll his sleeping-bag at the time because he didn't want anybody to see his stuffed lion. He wanted to wait until everyone was getting ready to go to bed, and after everybody else were out like lights, he'd pull his stuffed lion out from resting at the inside of the foot of his sleeping-bag, and he'd sleep comfortably with it brushing against his face.

After the Curtis's greasers gang each rested down their packed bags and cases in a circle on the white, fuzzy, square rug in front of the warm fireplace, and they each, minus Ryan, unrolled their sleeping-bags, they each followed after Cherry, Marcia and Randy standing at her opposite sides as she gave the greasers the tour of her mansion, showing them the downstairs beautiful and very clean bathroom, the fancy and glorious dining room, the organized and magnificent kitchen, and lastly, the wonderful and amazing backyard.

"Swimming, a horror film, pizza, smores, and ice-cream making…" Cherry's list of the sleepover fun was endless, and man, none of the greasers could stop literally bouncing with excitement, especially Soda, Two-Bit, and Ponyboy.

However, Ryan didn't like the idea of watching horror flicks, because he got frightened very easily, and about swimming…he actually never learned how to swim at all. His father never cared to teach him anything from swimming, to riding a bike. Nevertheless, Ryan didn't want to ruin the fun for the others, so he kept his mouth shut.

"But the main question is…" Cherry informed after she came to the end of everything that was going to happen that night at the sleepover. She placed her hand on her chin as she gazed around slowly at each of the greasers, who were now looking at her with absolute concern, thinking heavily on what this question could be.

"…Which one should we start out with?" Randy asked the question to help Cherry out, and without any hesitation, everyone began protesting, going back and forth with what sleepover activity they should do first. Ryan stayed out of it, though. He didn't care which activity they started off with, as long as it wasn't the horror film, scary stories in the dark, or swimming.

Even Cherry, Randy, and Marcia started to debate between each other with what activity they should do first, but the Greasers and Socs debating and protesting with one another came to an end when Mary's voice was actually heart, speaking kindly and softly in such a respectful manner, "Building a fort in the living room sounds fun."

Everyone stopped talking and instantly turned their attention over to the entrance to the kitchen, and man, after they saw Mary, they were each completely shocked, especially Ryan. All Cherry, Marcia, and Randy did though was smile at each other.

That fourteen-year-old redhead was no longer dressed in those fancy Soc like pajamas. Instead, she was dressed in a baggy plain gray pajama T-shirt, and a baggy pair of dark yellow and black checkered pajama pants. Her feet were now bare, no longer wearing the light brown, clean, fuzzy bunny slippers, and her short red hair was now down to its length that touched her shoulders, completely shagged up and tangled, as if it wasn't just in a neatly brushed ponytail.

The Cade's, (except Jocelyn) Ponyboy's, Kitten's, and Soda's mouths dropped open, while Ryan's, Two-Bit's, and Steve's eyes shot huge. Darry's face paled a bit from being so surprised, not expecting to see that. The eldest Curtis exchanged expressions with Dally, who's face looked ordinary and in an uncaring way as he shrugged his shoulders, but on the inside, he was truly just as surprised as his friends.

Mary grinned proudly as she looked down at herself, then gazed back up at the Curtis's greasers gang, shrugging her shoulders at them.

"Yes, I know, I look different." Mary pointed out, right before her smile faded, and she scrunched up her nose a little, narrowing her eyes a bit when doing so. "But those silky pajamas drive me nuts, and I hate it when my hair is combed, especially up in a ponytail! Anyway, I think we should make a fort around the living rooms doorway, just for fun."

Ponyboy, Johnny, and Cassidy had seemed to already forgotten about how different Mary suddenly looked, as well did Two-Bit, Kitten, and Soda, because they were up to building a fort. Darry didn't admit it, but he didn't mind doing that, and same with Steve, who only agreed because Mary was so kind, and Cherry's little sister.

However, Dally formed an annoyed glare as he shook his head, throwing his arms across his bare chest while doing so.

"No!" he protested "a fort is a ridiculous kid thing to do! It's not even something Cherry informed us that we were doing tonight!"

To Dally's surprise, instead of running off to cry or forming a frown, Mary placed her hands furiously on her hips as she shot back a scowl at him.

"Ya know, you could stop complaining and act your age by helping out and shutting up with your negative words!" Mary bellowed.

Dally turned to a shade of red as he clenched his hands into tight and trembling fists, his teeth now gritting furiously. His eyes were narrowed and drowning with nothing but pure anger towards this younger girl, but just as Dally was about to speak up to holler some more words, he caught a glance from Cherry, who was giving him a glare that was daring him to keep talking to her kid sister like some worthless piece of trash.

Dallas recrossed his arms over his bare chest again as he wiped his glare off from his face, unclenching his fists when doing so. Mary grinned a satisfied smile, knowing how Cherry had her back there.

"Ugh, whatever…" Dally mumbled, rolling his eyes. "Let's just get this fort over with."

"Hey, Dally…" Two-Bit snickered as the gang each walked out of the kitchen and back into the Valence's living room, starting instantly to gather up the blankets and pillows from the couches, along with the pianos seat and some other chairs from the dining room to get started on building the fort.

Dally narrowed his eyes as he stared at Two-Bit, helping him pick up the footstool by grabbing one side while the wisecracker picked up the opposite side.

"What?" Dally grumbled.

"I don't know 'bout you, but I like Mary!" Two-Bit laughed, and if he wasn't holding the one end of the footstool that Dallas was holding up, he would've nudged Dally's shoulder.

Dallas shot Two-Bit a death-mock stare. "Unless you want this footstool to tumble down on you and trap you, I suggest you shut your trap, Mathews!" Dally threatened, and that instantly shut Two-Bit up, even though he was still grinning.

"Um…" Ryan shyly and nervously gulped as he helped Mary carry in some chairs from the dining room, then tossing some blankets and sheets over them. "…Didn't your mom…_smack_ you because you made a fort in the first place?"

Mary rolled her eyes, but made sure that Ryan wasn't looking at her when she did so. She remembered Mrs. Valence's negative and harsh tone hollering at her, along with the painful smack that struck her cheek with such a stinging sensation. There was still a bright red mark there upon her cheek from where Mrs. Valence's hand met her violently.

"Yeah, but why should I listen to her?" Mary asked in an uncaring tone, considering that she and Ryan were chatting about Mrs. Valence.

"Um…I hope this doesn't sound like too personal of a question to ask, but, uh…does she hit you-" Ryan began asking such a terrible question, but Mary cut him off with just a single word.

"Often?"

Ryan stared at her, wide-eyed that she actually knew what he was going to say. He hesitated from being shocked, but then nodded his head, before he started to tug on his long sleeves again from remembering his dad beating and hollering and whipping at him again.

Mary shrugged her shoulders, continuing to help Ryan gather up some more furniture from the dining room, mainly the chairs, to build the fort.

"…Yeah, she hits me often…a whole lot often, actually…but I don't really care…trust me, if my mom had the opportunity to go back in time to fix one mistake, she'd go back to when she first got married with my dad, so she wouldn't make the mistake of having Cherry and I in the first place." Mary lectured. Her tone was rising with anger a bit, but she backed down with it when she noticed how nervous Ryan was then looking at her after she used that kind of tone.

Honestly though…that's how Ryan felt about his father, but he didn't want to speak a single word about his abuse with Mary for two main reasons. One, he didn't adore talking about it one bit, and two, he didn't actually trust Mary. At least not yet. Nevertheless, he continued to get that warm glowing feeling still rushing through his entire body every time he spoke or even just looked at Mary.

"Phew! I'm starving!" Two-Bit announced after the fort was completely made. It only took about ten or so minutes to complete. "Building a fort makes you hungry, that's for sure!" the wisecracker added along with his laughter.

Steve crossed his arms and rolled his eyes after he took in and digested Two-Bit's words.

"You're always hungry, Mathews!" Steve pointed out.

Cherry placed one of her hands over her mouth and giggled a bit.

"Don't worry, Two-Bit." Cherry said "right now is actually a great time to make our own mini pizzas. It's the perfect time to eat. Afterwards, we can, go swimming!"

Ryan's eyes shot huge as his heart took one heck of a giant leap in his chest. He could've sworn his heart was now in his throat, getting ready to leap into his mouth at any moment to make his teeth jitter. He didn't know how to swim!

Pepperoni, cheese, peppers, sauces, and whatever else you could use to make your dream pizza was resting there on the counter in the Valence's kitchen, spread out with each sample different from each other. For example, some of the sauces were spicy while others weren't.

Everyone grabbed a plate and made their own individual mini pizza, every one needing to only be popped in the microwave for only a minute each. The amazing aroma of different types of sauces and cheeses danced through the air as they were spread onto the crusts of the eleven Greasers and three Socs mini pizzas. The pepperoni sizzled a bit as the peppers gave off oily, but absolutely delicious, tastes. Everyone's mini pizza was delicious.

Johnny had cut his plain cheese mini pizza up in little pieces so he could feed some of it to Jocelyn, who was eager more and more with each yummy bite that the eldest Cade fed her. He served her, her bottle that he had made for her inbetween a certain amount of bites of the mini pizza as well.

Two-Bit's mini piece of pizza had everything on it. Randy's did, too, while Ponyboy's, Cassidy's, Cherry's and Marcia's just had pepperoni and cheese. Darry and Soda had got just cheese and different sauces on their mini pizzas, and Steve's pizza had nothing but sauce and peppers on the crust. Dally's was just like Johnny's and Jocelyn's, just a plain cheese, while lastly, Ryan and Mary had cheese pizza with sausage and pepperoni topping the crust.

Everyone enjoyed talking and laughing, or just smiling, with each other as they sat on the clear, shiny wooden floor in a circle in the dining room, considering that all of the chairs had been used to build the fort around the living rooms entrance.

Even Ryan was enjoying the sleepover so far, but he was still haunted by Mr and Mrs. Valence, and he didn't like the ideas of swimming, scary story telling, or watching a horror movie. Nevertheless, he still kept those thoughts to himself.

At the moment, everyone was playing the game "Would You Rather…" while they sat there on the floor in the dining room, eating their mini pizzas and enjoying the game.

"Alright, Ponyboy," Cherry giggled "would you rather have a great big wedding in the future, or just a simple small get-together to celebrate the marriage?"

Ponyboy's face and ears both stained to a bright red as his eyes widened. Everyone burst out into hysterics, except Dally, who just snickered a bit as he slowly shook his head back and forth and continued to eat his mini pizza.

"Alright…to be honest…I'm hoping to have a big wedding in the future to prove to my future wife that I will always love her." Ponyboy admitted before taking another bite of his piece of mini pizza.

"Really, baby bro? Aw, you're growing up so fast! Already knowing how your wedding will be in the future!" Soda chuckled as he grabbed Pony in a headlock, and he playfully noogied his hair, causing everyone to laugh all over again, except Ponyboy, who told Sodapop to knock it off. Soda chuckled as he released his kid brother, then he gave him a couple pats on his back.

Ponyboy couldn't help himself to grin then after his eyes met his middle brothers. It was pretty much impossible to keep your smile hidden when you're related, just a friend, or simply just around Sodapop Curtis. Pony rolled his eyes playfully, chuckling to himself a bit.

"Dally, you're next." Ponyboy said "would you rather get together with a poor girl who loves you for your…great self, or some rich girl who's nothing but a snob and thinks you can always do better?"

Cherry and Marcia raised their eyebrows at Pony, who quickly blurted out after he realized the facial expressions that he was receiving from them, "This doesn't retain to you girls!"

Dallas smirked, then snickered out the words to answer Ponyboy's question, "It depends who's the best in bed."

Darry instantly raised his hand to smack Dally over the head from saying such a thing in front of Ponyboy, Cassidy, and even Jocelyn, but Dallas blocked himself quickly. But the main thing that stopped the eldest Curtis was witnessing how Ryan's eyes shot huge as he paled when seeing him raise his hand like that. Slowly, Darry just rested his arm back down, glaring at Dallas, as if he was saying the exact words, "You're lucky that Ryan's here."

The game ended finally with tons of more laughs, grins, and comments when everyone had finished their mini pizzas. Cherry, with the help of Randy, Mary, and Marcia, gathered up everyone's plates, including their own, and they piled them up in the sink, where they'd soak in warm water and soap bubbles for hours and hours.

Ryan hated what was coming next. Swimming. Unlike Ryan, though, everyone else was extremely thrilled and excited to get on outside in the damp, moist, warm air of that summer evening, where they drive right into the crystal shining, clear, dazzling pool water. Everyone was in a rapid rush to change out of their pajamas and get into their swimsuits, but Ryan was just taking his time, and he was going to keep his pajama shirt on because he wanted to keep the scars that were on his back that had his father written all over it hidden from everyone's eyes, especially Mary's.

Two-Bit cheered excitedly as he ran into the backyard, now shirtless and in his swimming trunks, but he stopped running as his eyes caught the view of Marcia in her zebra striped bikini. All she was doing was attempting to catch some fireflies in this jar while she waited for everybody else to come out for swimming. She and Two-Bit were the only ones out there at the time.

"Hey, Marcia! Nice swimsuit!" Two-Bit howled in laughter, but he truly meant that. Marcia looked over at him, grinning back after her eyes met the seventeen-year-old wisecracker that was now coming down the back porches steps to be by her side.

"Hehe! Thanks, Two-Bit. Yours is quite nice, too." Marcia giggled a bit. Two-Bit smiled, playfully rolling his eyes at her words as he looked down at himself wearing his dark blue and neon green swimming trunks. He did a girly hair flip with his heavily greased, dark brown hair just for a joke. It worked on Marcia, making her laugh some more, just like every joke of his.

"I know, huh? I make it work good!" Two-Bit laughed, but then decided to change the topic when he watched Marcia attempt to catch some more fireflies in the jar, but she couldn't get a single one to save her life.

"What are you doin', Marcia?"

"Just trying to catch some fireflies, but I never can."

Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow as he watched the black-haired female Soc attempt to catch the glowing bugs that were dancing throughout the evening sky some more, but however, she just couldn't catch one.

"You know you're not going to catch any fireflies that way, right?" Two-Bit questioned, and by the confused expression he instantly received from Marcia after he asked that question, he knew that she must've not understood him.

Two-Bit grinned. "Here." he said, gently taking the jar and its lid out of Marcia's hands. She watched up as Two-Bit did the same, both of them watching the glowing and sparkling lights from the fireflies dance around them.

Suddenly then, Two-Bit began whistling such a beautiful and soft, musical tune, keeping his eyes on the fireflies as they actually started to lower in the air, being drawn towards the music. Marcia watched, stunned, and Two-Bit continued to whistle such a magical tune for about ten or so more seconds, until he finally stopped, catching some of the fireflies in the jar of Marcia's and handing it back to her.

Marcia's mouth gaped open, completely surprised in what Two-Bit just did.

"Wow…" she smiled as she watched the fireflies glow on and off together as they flew around in her closed jar. Two-Bit grinned also, only needing the smile upon Marcia's face to repay him for what he just did for her.

"You know…" Two-Bit spoke up, his voice suddenly soft and even shy a bit. "…People say catching fireflies means good luck…"

Marcia cocked an eyebrow, but continued to grin as she released the fireflies from the jar, watching them dance away until she turned her full, undivided attention over to Two-Bit, who was goofily smiling back, his face beating red.

"Oh, is that so?" Marcia asked in a half joking manner, the other manner being kind, soft, and polite. She wrapped her arms around Two-Bit's neck, and she didn't mind it at all when he decided to place his arms around her lower back about five seconds later.

"…Yeah." Two-Bit chuckled, now looking deep into Marcia's eyes as she gazed directly back into his, both of them beginning to get lost.

"Well then…" Marcia giggled "…are you feeling lucky?"

Two-Bit's face was now not the only thing that was deep red, but his ears were starting to flash to the same shade of red, and that's actually never happened to him before.

"Well…" Two-Bit took in and let out a deep, but soft breath, grinning still at Marcia, while she smiled right back. "…I will feel lucky if you do just one thing for me."

"What's that, Two-Bit?" Marcia grinned even more, starting to heat up and turn red herself.

Two-Bit hesitated, needing at least ten or so seconds of silence between him and Marcia before he could finally find his voice again. Holding his stuttering back, Two-Bit continued to grin his goofy smile as he spoke the two words, "…Kiss me."

He wasn't drunk…he wasn't high…he wasn't beaten to the point at all one bit to not understand a hint of what he was saying…and to Two-Bit's surprise, Marcia smiled wider and even more gorgeous, right before she placed her hands on his cheeks, and she moved it, making their lips hit and smack together.

Marcia and Two-Bit continued to lock lips, not separating at all as they held each other close, rubbing their arms up and down each others backs as the fireflies continued to glow around them, making the scene even more beautiful and memorable. No questions needed to be asked, and no deals needed to be made…it was settled…Two-Bit and Marcia were now boyfriend and girlfriend.

"Race you to the pool!" Ponyboy cheered, full of excitement and laughter as he playfully pushed Johnny, who grinned and chuckled along. Dally rolled his eyes as he watched Ponyboy and Johnny race out the backdoor of Cherry's mansion.

"Kids." Dally muttered to himself in a slightly annoyed tone, but after he walked out the backdoor himself, he realized that Ponyboy and Johnny were both now frozen, not moving a muscle from being so shocked to find Marcia and Two-Bit making out like there was no tomorrow.

"While I'll be…god, I never thought I'd say this, but…" Dally smirked, right before he covered Jocelyn's ears, considering that he was the one who was now holding her. "WAHOO! GET SOME, MATHEWS!"

Instantly, Two-Bit's and Marcia's eyes shot open as they quickly parted from each other, no longer making their lips meet, and they shot their full, undivided attention over to the back porch. Everyone else was now coming out of Cherry's mansion through the backdoor, dressed all in their swimsuits, and by the words that they caught Dally shouting, they completely got the message that Two-Bit and Marcia had been kissing.

"Congrats, Two-Bit! I can't believe you actually got an actual hot broad instead of an imaginary one!" Dally laughed as he handed Jocelyn back down to Johnny, his hands remaining over her ears until Johnny finally held her to himself.

Two-Bit narrowed his eyes, trying his best to look stern, but he just couldn't pull it off when dealing with Dallas Winston. Besides, his face was beating red with embarrassment, completely giving away how he truly felt with everybody busting him and Marcia like that.

"Ugh, whatever!" Two-Bit moaned "we're here for a sleepover, not a recap of what teens are like in the sixth grade!"

"Yeah, Two-Bit's right…we can get back on his case tomorrow morning 'bout this!" Darry approved, sending everyone into hysterics all over again. Even Ryan couldn't help himself as he stared down at his bare feet, trying to take his mind off of swimming.

"Alright, alright," Dally groaned, getting annoyed then with the teasing and taunting. "Are we swimming or what?"

"Yeah! Race you guys to the pool!" Cherry cheered, already getting a head start as she ran in her light pink, orange, and white swimsuit towards her pool.

"Hey! No fair!" Pony laughed, right before taking off with Cassidy, Soda, and Steve right behind him. Mary wasn't far behind at all either, and here came Randy, Marcia, and Two-Bit after the fourteen-year-old redhead. Darry and Dallas just simply walked, and Johnny would run, but he didn't want to slip. Plus, he was carrying Jocelyn, and he had to make sure he kept great hold of her when splashing with her in the water.

Since Cherry had such a head start, and she was one heck of a fast runner, she was the first one to dive into her pool, closing her eyes and doing such a great diving position as she plopped down into the amazing water that felt so good with the warm evening breeze gently swaying against your wet skin.

"WAHOO!" Ponyboy cheered as he leaped right into the pool without any cares on testing the water like he usually would when going to the lake to swim or someplace like that.

"GOING DOWN!" Soda called out. He and Steve both made sure they were side by side next to each other before they both hopped into the air, then landed into the awesome pool water.

"LOOK OUT BELOW!" Cassidy laughed, being the next one to dive in so perfectly.

"NEXT STOP, POOL FLOOR!" Mary announced, and she, Randy, and Marcia held each others hands as they leaped through the evening air, then met the water underneath them in the Valence's pool.

"CANNONBALL!" Two-Bit howled. He jumped up into the air, curling his legs up into his stomach, and before he knew it, he landed in the water with a relieving splash. Nevertheless, Two-Bit didn't mean to accidentally land on Steve and pull him underneath the water along with him while everyone else just allowed themselves to hysterically laugh.

Poor Ryan though couldn't even crack a grin, no matter how much he wanted to. He arrived at the pool, but he couldn't get in. Just staring at the water made him feel sick to his stomach, so all he did was sit on the edge of the pool, kicking back on the stone as his feet kicked soothingly back and forth in the warm water.

Johnny carefully climbed into the pool, holding Jocelyn close as she playfully splashed and smacked at the water, already laughing and enjoying the water. That certainly brought smiles to everyone's faces, and the adorable laughter from the youngest Cade was music to their ears. However, Ryan still couldn't smile at the time as he just sat there, watching the others splash around in the water and get all damp, as Darry slid down the waterslide and landed in the water, while Kitten went down the other waterslide, and Dallas did a belly-flop off of the diving bored.

Everyone cheered and clapped for the three of them, and they instantly began playing and goofing around, splashing and tickling each other, and even diving underwater to playfully tackle others underneath. Even Dallas was having a blast in the pool.

Ryan pouted, feeling completely left out and alone as he gently continued to sway his bare feet back and forth in the water, wishing desperately to himself as he sat there in his favorite color swim trunks, yellow, that he had enough courage to get into the water and attempt swimming, but he was absolutely afraid of drowning and dying. So, all he did was continue to sit there, continuing to gently kick his feet back and forth in the water as he tugged at the ends of his long sleeves once more.

"Marco!" Mary called out about fifteen minutes or so into the gang each swimming outside in the pool. Mary's eyes were closed, since she had just been tagged by Kitten in the gangs game of "Marco Polo", and everyone knew the rules to that game. Ryan was actually entertained with watching the gang, including Cherry, Marcia, and Randy, play these water games, but he still hated how he couldn't swim.

"Marco!" Mary announced once more, but everyone was just spread out in the pool, holding back their laughs as they grinned, not saying anything. "Come on, everybody! That's not fair!" Mary complained, her eyes still remaining shut. "You know the rules! You have to say something!"

"Something!" Two-Bit laughed out, and Mary couldn't help herself to smirk after hearing that joke. Nobody needed to see Mary's eyes to know that they were now completely filled up with playful deviousness. The fourteen-year-old redhead began paddling towards the wisecracker of the Curtis's greasers gang, following the direction where his voice came from.

Two-Bit's eyes shot huge as he clapped his hands over his mouth, starting to swim for his life.

"Oh, crud!" Two-Bit mumbled behind his clamped hands, but Mary could still hear the water splash as Two-Bit swam, and she could feel the ripples move throughout the water.

"Marco!" Mary giggled, her voice filled with that playful deviousness.

"Here, take Dally as a sacrifice!" Two-Bit yelped out, maintaining his laughter the best he could as he dove behind Dallas and pushed him forward. Dally's eyes shot huge from not expecting that, and just as Mary came so close to grabbing his arm, he quickly dove out of the way.

"Shoot!" Mary muttered to herself, but she was chuckling still. "So, so close!"

"Well, Soda's my shield! Take my shield, not me!" Dally proclaimed, grasping the middle Curtis's arms and holding them behind his back so he couldn't swim away. Mary began drawing close, sending Soda into major attempts to get away, but Dallas was just too strong compared to him, whether they were in the pool or not.

"Quick! Steve! Help me!" Sodapop begged, trying his best to sound like he was in desperate need of help, but his chuckling was getting the best of his acting.

Steve smirked. "You got it, buddy! Nobody captures my best, best friend and uses him as a shield, Winston!"

Dally looked at Steve, thinking that he was bluffing, but he was proven wrong when Steve actually tackled him, bringing him down underneath the water without grasping Soda anymore. When Dallas popped back up, he was too busy catching his breath and wiping the water out of his face to notice Mary, who was now smirking when she heard the water make its splashing sound right in front of her. Mary reached out and grasped Dally's arm.

"Got ya!" Mary laughed as she opened her eyes to realize that she had tagged Dallas, who was staring down at her completely surprised that she was actually able to catch him. But to Mary's surprise, Dally actually crossed his arms over his chest and grinned one of his rare smiles down at Cherry's little sister, saying the exact words, "You dig alright, girly."

Mary's look disappeared off from her face after she caught what Dallas just said to her. She knew that it was a compliment, so she grinned and thanked Dally, but instead of saying anything back, Dally just shrugged and closed his eyes, starting the next round of "Marco Polo"

Mary quickly swam away, giggling quietly to herself, but she instantly stopped when she looked over at Ryan, noticing how he still wasn't in the water after the past twenty or so minutes that everyone had been in the pool. Concernedly, Mary raised an eyebrow as she swam over to the edge of the pool where Ryan was remaining. He glanced down at her after he realized that she was now there, next to him, but in the water.

"Hey, Ryan…you okay?" Mary asked.

"…Sure." Ryan responded, but he was obviously a terrible liar. He attempted to lie when necessary, but when it came to Ryan lying for himself or somebody else, he was always bad at it.

"…Why won't you get in the water? It's great fun!" Mary attempted encouraging Ryan to get in the water, but he only took his feet out of the water and curled his legs up into his stomach, locking his arms around his shins and resting his head down on his knees.

Mary pouted, feeling her bottom lip start to quiver a bit, because she truly liked Ryan, but she began feeling like he didn't like her at all. Secretly, in Ryan's opinion of her at that moment, he thought that she actually looked tuff in that golden yellow bikini that was decorated with light pink hearts.

"Is something bothering you, Ryan?" Mary questioned "…or is someone?"

"…No, everythin' is fine…and nobody is bothering me." Ryan assured, but you can tell when he said that everything was fine that he was lying. The part where he promised that nobody was bothering him was true, though.

"Then why won't you come in the water?" Mary asked.

Ryan was hesitant to respond to that new question. He didn't want to admit that he couldn't swim, because that would just be plain ridiculous since he was fourteen, and even if he _did _know how to swim, he would've had to swim with his shirt on to hide the scars that Albert gave him.

"…It doesn't matter…look, everything is fine…I just don't want to swim, alright?" Ryan asked with his voice so, so soft. Mary sighed, wishing that she could convince Ryan to get in the water and actually join in with the water fun with everyone else, but she knew that no matter what she said, Ryan wouldn't get in the water. But the main thing that Mary questioned at that moment was…why would Ryan change into his swimsuit if he didn't even want to go swimming?

"…Alright." Mary sighed, then swam away, to join back in with "Marco Polo", not realizing the red that was starting to slightly stain for some reason on Ryan's cheeks.

About five or so minutes later, everyone piled out of the pool, deciding to play football to help them dry off faster. Ryan wanted to play, but he'd flinch every time the ball was past to him, so he just sat out and watched as Mary played for her sisters team, but with Darry's team always keeping an eye on her, considering that she was actually a golden football player, it was harder for her to score her team any points. Well, she actually almost did once, but Ponyboy tackled her down and tickled her until tears of laughter poured out from her eyes.

The sound of Mary's laugh…it was so beautiful in Ryan's opinion as he watched her get tickled by the youngest Curtis. It actually helped him grin at least a bit.

Finally, after everyone dried off about ten minutes later, Cherry had announced after everyone changed back into their pajamas that it was time for pop, popcorn, and ice-cream sundaes while they each watched the horror film that Randy had recommended. It was "Shaun of The Dead", so it wasn't exactly horror, but it was still scary and spooky a bit, while some humor was mixed in with it.

Johnny had put Jocelyn to sleep with her bedtime bottle so she would be fast asleep for the rest of the sleepover, and he tucked her in on one of the couches in Cherry's living room before heading back into the kitchen for pop, popcorn, and ice-cream sundaes.

Chocolate-chips, cookies, whipped cream, sprinkles, cherries, nuts, and many different types of candies now laid out on the counter in the Valence's kitchen. Everyone had already got their bowls and spoons, scooping up their favorite flavors of ice-cream from the many different kinds of chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, mint chocolate-chip, cookies and cream, rocky road, lemon swirl, and any other ice-cream you could think of.

After everyone covered their sundaes in different types of candies, different chocolate, caramel, and/or raspberry sauces, colorful sprinkles, and whatnot, everyone gathered together in the living room with cups of different types of pop, and bowls of popcorn as well. Marcia turned the lights off since she was the last one to enter the Valence's living room.

After everybody, even Ryan, who finally unrolled his sleeping-bag, still keeping his stuffed lion hidden also, settled down on their sleeping-bags, either laying down or sitting up, Cherry started the movie, keeping the volume good enough so it wouldn't wake Jocelyn up, but everyone would still be able to hear everything.

Everyone was dead silent during the whole movie, eating their sundaes and popcorn, and drinking their pops while snickering at certain lines and scenes throughout the whole film. The fireplaces crackling fire was the only thing that was giving off light the whole time, and at some time after 10:00, the movie had wrapped up, but Cherry and Randy had both fell asleep, while every one else was still awake.

"Well, well, well," Dallas snickered after Steve had flicked the living room lights back on. "Looks like our sleepover host and our only male Soc pal has past out."

"Now that just won't do, won't it?" Kitten chuckled, placing her hands on her hips as she slowly shook her head back and forth.

"Don't worry…" Darry held back his loud laughter as he held up his can of shaving cream that he had fetched from his packed bag. Soda reached out his hand, motioning Darry to toss his can of shaving cream to him, which he did, and Sodapop caught it with no troubles at all.

Ryan watched will full satisfaction, just like everybody else in the gang, including Marcia, since they all knew what Soda had in mind of doing. While Soda knelt down and squirted some of Darry's shaving cream in one of Cherry's laying open hands, Ponyboy had fetched a feather from one of the couch pillows. In the mean time, Two-Bit had just got finished doodling a mustache on Randy's face with a black marker that he had found just laying around.

Everybody was quiet, watching with their faces beating red from holding their laughter back. Ponyboy gazed at Soda, who nodded his head as he tossed the shaving cream back over to Darry. The eldest Curtis caught it perfectly, tucking it back away in it bag, and Soda told Ponyboy to go for it.

Pony knelt down, gently brushing the feather over Cherry's face. At first, there was no response, but when Ponyboy continued tickling Cherry's face slowly back and forth with the feather, the sixteen-year-old redhead Soc began to stir, right before she reached her hand up to her face and scratched the feather away, but not without getting her whole left cheek covered in shaving cream.

Everyone burst out into hysterics as Cherry's eyes shot huge after she felt the coldness of the white shaving cream meet her face. Quickly, Cherry bolted up into a sitting position and she leaped up onto her feet, concentrating on the Curtis brothers as everyone else did most of the laughing.

"Which one of you…had this idea?" Cherry calmly ask, meaning that she had a plan up her sleeve for some revenge. Knowing for a fact that she did so, Darry and Ponyboy instantly pointed at Soda, ratting him out because he truly was the one to tell Darry and Ponyboy the plan.

"It was just a-" Soda began telling Cherry that it was only a joke to most likely save himself, but before he could finish, what was left on Cherry's hand was now smashed in his face. Without any hesitation, everybody instantly burst into hysterics again, but now everyone was clenching the sides and stomachs, gasping for air, and wiping waterfalls of tears of laughter away from their faces.

Soda took a moment to take in what just happened, thinking to himself that he actually had that coming as he scooped the shaving cream out of his eyes and wiped it on his pajama shirt without any cares. One of his world famous, movie-star grins then flashed across his face, his eyes dancing with laughter.

"…I never liked shaving, ya know?" he snickered, and everyone instantly starting laughing along with his joke that was actually true. Finally, everyone's laughter was loud enough to awaken Randy from his sleep, considering that he was the heaviest sleeper out of the three Socs there at the sleepover, while Jocelyn was the heaviest sleeper in the Curtis's greasers gang.

"Guys? Gals? What's goin' on?" Randy yawned as he pushed himself up into a sitting position on his sleeping-bag, rubbing his eyes with his clenched fists as he tried to focus his vision, but since he just woke up, it was a bit blurry.

"Oh, Cherry!" Randy laughed when he actually caught the non-blurry view of Cherry wiping the shaving cream off from her face and the remains of it from her hand away on a rag that Marcia had fetched for her. "Looks like you got pranked!" Randy added, still laughing completely.

Cherry raised an eyebrow as she placed her free hand on her hip and formed a smirk at her best male Soc friend.

"I wouldn't talk, Hitler." Cherry smartly remarked, referring to the mustache that Two-Bit drew on Randy's face when he was out like a light. It actually _did_ look a lot like Hitler's mustache, which is what Two-Bit was aiming for.

Everyone laughed and laughed some more, wiping even more tears of laughter out of their eyes and away from running down their faces as they

playfully ruffled each others hair, gave others high-fives, and whatnot. Confusedly, Randy cocked an eyebrow, but just as he opened his mouth to ask Cherry what she meant, Kitten had showed Randy his reflection in her mirror that she had packed in her bag.

Randy's face instantly flashed to a shade of red from being humiliated as his eyes widened. He always wanted facial hair, but that's not the kind of facial hair that he wanted!

At first, Randy questioned who could've done that to him, but when he noticed Two-Bit hiding something behind his back, he narrowed his eyes, knowing it must've been him. Plus, the wisecrackers chuckles and snickers that were escaping from his lips when Randy gazed at him completely gave him away.

"MATHEWS!" Randy hollered, not angry at all, but he was going to be looking for revenge. One day, but obviously not during the sleepover.

Hours past, and certain board and card games getting played while dance contests were held, and a huge pillow fight had broke out also. Ryan actually didn't mind getting involved in that, though, because pillows were soft and they couldn't hurt anybody. Plus, he just really wanted to get some more time in with Mary by fighting her with a pillow and tickles, while she laughed and did the same to him, causing him to laugh as well, just like everyone else.

Pictionary was one of the popular games that the sleepover held, and everyone kept arguing over having Ponyboy and/or Ryan on their team, because both of them were the best artists. Just ask their teachers, or simply see their sketchbooks and notebooks, which are flooded with doodles and different colors.

Since some balloons were left over from Cherry's sixteenth birthday, everyone had a contest to see who could blow the most of them up, which caused some people, as known as Two-Bit, Cassidy, and Randy, to get high-pitched voices like chipmunks. Everyone else just laughed, but they also got some high-pitched tones in their voices once in awhile during the challenge. Darry, Mary, and Soda each had a tie, though.

Secrets had also been exchanged through what is called "Pillow Talk" with the Curtis's greasers gang and the three Socs, which is when everybody just sits in a circle, asks questions, then you answer honestly, but you never speak of it to anybody who's not in the circle.

Randy had shared his most embarrassing date, which was when he took Marcia out to this fancy restaurant when they were a couple, and he didn't know that he was allergic to the certain food that he taken down until he spent the last few hours of the date in the bathroom.

Two-Bit actually told about the time he got so drunk that he had flirted with another guy, but when he realized what happened, he attempted to leave the Dingo as his drunk self, but ended up tripping over his own feet and passing out there on the floor.

Kitten admitted that she used to have a crush on Randy, and Ponyboy confessed how he used to have a crush on Cherry, which made both of the Socs blush a bit, but that was the past. Ponyboy and Kitten had moved on with each other.

Many more secrets were revealed, right before the gang played this game called "MASH" some time around midnight. It's this future telling game that determines where you'll live, how many kids you'll have, what your transportation will be, who you'll be married to, and lastly, your job.

Steve played "MASH" and his future was getting married to Evie, having three children (two girls, one boy), living in an ordinary house, having an SUV for transportation, and he'd be a travel agent. Steve was actually fond of the responses in his part of "MASH", but he wasn't so sure about becoming a travel agent. He was happy just working at the DX with cars.

Dallas was next in the next round of "MASH", being the second person to actually want to go in other words. Dally was actually surprised with his future in the game. He thought "MASH" would be lame, until he actually gave it a go.

"This game is actually fun!" Dallas laughed after he found out his responses in "MASH".

He would be married to Cherry, have two kids (both boys), live in a fancy mansion, have a limo for transportation, and he'd be a professional wrestler.

Confusedly, Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow as he scratched his chin after hearing the responses of Dally's in "MASH".

"Hm…that's strange with a limo being your transportation…are you sure that it shouldn't be a police car?" Two-Bit smirked.

"Watch it, Two-Bit!" Dallas snapped, and "MASH" continued on with Darry holding Dally back a bit.

The strange thing is…Mary and Ryan both played "MASH", and their responses were exactly the same. They were married to each other, they had four children (two boys, two girls), they lived in an apartment, had a corvette for transportation, and they would both be rocking artists.

Ryan's eyes shot huge as Mary's mouth gaped open, and the two of them gazed at each other, witnessing the others same amount of shock as their faces heated up to the same shade of a bright, bright red. As for the rest of the Curtis's greasers gang, including Cherry, Marcia, and Randy, they were each smirking, exchanging their looks and secret winks at one another, before they each looked back at Mary and Ryan.

Everyone, minus Mary and Ryan, being talking over each other, laughing away as they said, "Look at 'em two! Made for each other!", "Rye, why didn't you tell us you were in love?!", "When's the wedding?", "I call being one of the best men!", and other things like that.

Ryan and Mary both gazed at each other yet again, but they were both beating even more red this time, their eyes still remaining huge as they took in and listened to every word that was being taunted at them. Usually, Ryan and Mary would both enjoy joining in on taunting and teasing, but not when it involved them!

"I'm not in love!" Ryan objected, his voice now suddenly stubborn as he crossed his arms defensively. Everyone instantly shut their mouths and looked at him, surprised that he was now sounding different.

"Guys, seriously," Mary sighed, her voice remaining calm, though. "We just met tonight."

Dallas rolled his eyes, getting bored already with the conversation. He actually believed Mary and Ryan liked each other also, but he didn't see the point in teasing and taunting them if they didn't admit it.

"Whatever!" Dally moaned "what other games and whatnot do we have planned for tonight?"

Truth or Dare had been played, and many hilarious things were done while more secrets, some serious while others were just used for humor, were told.

Two-Bit was dared to pop ice down his shirt and lay down with it, allowing it to melt, which he did, but not without kicking himself in a circle on the floor and exclaiming, "Cold! Cold! Cold!" over and over again like a little girl.

Kitten, on the other hand, picked dare as well to remain the toughest female greaser in Tulsa, considering that she actually was the first ever female greaser in all of Tulsa. Her dare was easy, though. Kiss Ponyboy, and the two of them were dating, so it wasn't a big deal. They both smiled greatly as their faces turned red, and they made their lips hit for about five seconds straight, while everyone else clapped and cheered, except Dally, who just grinned in satisfaction and nodded his head in an approving manner.

Steve has chose truth, though, and he admitted on how he framed Two-Bit for breaking Darry's old trucks windshield with his football. Darry narrowed his eyes at Soda's best pal, reminding himself to remember that for revenge in the future.

Randy was dared to eat this spicy hot pepper that instantly made him start to sweat and shed tears after he swallowed it in one go, making him bolt up and instantly run to the kitchen to go get water.

More truths and dares were done in the game, but after an hour of so with Truth or Dare, everyone started doing a singing competition, singing solos or having backup with only two people atleast.

Mary was the best, though. Ryan paled a little when hearing her sing the song "Mean" by Taylor Swift, because it was obvious that he knew she was referring it to hers and Cherry's folks, but mainly their mother. Nevertheless, Ryan didn't say anything. He just wanted to keep his thoughts to himself.

Dally had sang "I'm Sexy And I Know It", with the backup help of Steve and Two-Bit, while Ponyboy and Kitten went next with "You Are The Music In Me", and Soda followed with "Party In The USA". Cherry, Cassidy, and Marcia had sung "We're All In This Together", and Johnny sang "We Are Family", before saving for the finale, Ryan sang "You're Gonna Miss This" with the help of Darry and Randy, so everyone had got their chance to express their voices. They were each actually very good singers, but Mary was the best of them all.

After the singing competition, with the remaining popcorn, everyone just had fun trying to toss it in somebody else's mouth, or in their own mouths. Popcorn just then ended up all over the floor, so after that, everybody cleaned the mess up and threw the rest of the popcorn away.

Finally, to end the sleepover before bedtime, everyone told spooky stories as they made and enjoyed some smores by using the fire that was still crackling in the fireplace to heat up or melt their plain, chocolate, and/or strawberry marshmallows all over their graham crackers and piece of chocolate.

Dallas had shared a spooky story while he ate his third smore on a killer chef who's secret soup at his five stared restaurant was secretly cooked and made out of body parts and different organs, but nobody knew…until it was too late for them.

Darry then went on telling about a zombie of this girl named Zoey's grandfather, who shot out of the ground when Zoey came by to rest his favorite flowers by his tombstone…and he dragged Zoey underground with him, where she'd be berried alive with his undead, decaying corpse forever.

Cassidy had a turn with sharing a scary tale after the eldest Curtis finished his. She went into full detail on how this young lady named Fiona was blind, using a cane everywhere she went as she heard people laugh and mock her. She was single, not married and not seeing anybody, and she owned a store…but when this girl named Giselle shoplifted a purple gown from her clothing area, Fiona swore revenge…and she got it by switching hers and Giselle's eyes, leaving Giselle blind, and Fiona could now see herself.

Ryan's skin grew paler and paler, and with every new spooky story he heard, his eyes just got wider, as a nervous, cold sweat began covering his body, and his hand slightly trembled as he ate his fourth smore. His heart beat rapidly in his chest when it was Mary's turn, and she shared about teenagers who were just like them each having a sleepover…which is when this boy named Jonas told his friend a phony scary story just to scare her…but he didn't mean to actually scare her to _death_.

"Can we play something instead of telling anymore phony stories?" Dally asked after Soda wrapped up his frightening tale of a monster lurking in the shadows, stalking everyone at night and taking their souls when they least expect it as they slept with their good dreams.

"Well, maybe we can play _one _last thing before goin' to sleep, but Rye never told a scary story yet." Sodapop pointed out. Ryan's eyes grew huge, and he quickly shook his head back and forth when everyone gave him their full, undivided attention.

"No thank you!" Ryan nervously gulped.

"Then it's settled." Dally simply shrugged his shoulders, gaining back everyone's attention. Dallas smirked when he realized everybody's eyes were now on him. It was dead quiet, until Dally opened his mouth and said, "I got a game."

"What is it?" Ponyboy questioned, resting his head on his clenched shut fists as he laid stomach side down on his sleeping-bag, inbetween Soda and Kitten.

Dally's smirk grew wider, but Mary just crossed her arms and stood up, giving Dallas a secret wink, and he secretly gave her a single nod in return.

"I'll be right back." Mary announced as she left the room. Everyone, except Dally, gazed around at each other confusedly, questioning why Mary left all the sudden. Where'd she have to go?

"Anyway," Dally spoke up once more when Mary's footsteps were heard scampering up the stairs. "It's called Scary Mary."

Steve crossed his arms and cocked an eyebrow, giving Dallas an uninteresting glance in the games name.

"Um, isn't that the same game as _Bloody _Mary?" Steve questioned, his tone filled with just as much of no interest that matched the look on his face.

Dally shrugged his shoulders. "Sort of, but it's a different Mary. Ya see, this Mary was _extremely _and _gloriously _beautiful, engaged to me married…but if only she knew that the man who proposed to her was truly drunk when he did so…" Dallas's voice lowered as he explained the spooky tale.

Ryan tensed up as he covered himself up in his sleeping-bag, only having his head now peaking out, while the others all each gave each other interested glances, except Steve, who still looked unsatisfied.

"What happened, Dally?" Randy questioned "what happened to Scary Mary?"

"Well…you see, everybody…she was getting ready for her wedding ceremony, already dressed up in her wedding gown, vale, jewelry, tiara, and all of that other frilly wedding stuff that females spend time on before they get walked down the aisle. Mary and her father, however, had just got into an argument when he found out that Mary was marrying young. She was only fourteen-going-onto-fifteen, but Mary had enough of her father, killing him with a butcher knife, which instantly splashed her wedding gown in red…nevertheless…Mary's soon-to-be husband showed up a few minutes before the actually ceremony…hanging Mary by strangling her to death, then tying her up by the chandelier in the bride room to make it look like she committed suicide. Everyone screamed and cried after hearing the news, and Mary was labeled with the name _Scary _Mary, because she totally freaked everyone out when they first noticed her just hanging there…limp…pale…covered in blood…completely lifeless, her eyes all glassy and remaining opened…even though she was dead." Dally slimly snickered a bit with his words in a devious manner, as he cuffed his hands together around his neck, and he kicked back, loving the new frightened, but mainly concerned, facial expressions that he was getting from the story. But Steve was still remaining with the unsatisfied and not interested look, rolling his eyes as he shook his head at Dally.

"Oh, please!" Steve moaned "Dallas, that's just a stupid legend, like the actual Bloody Mary!"

"No, it's not." Dally smirked "if you stand in front of the mirror all by yourself in the dark, holding a lit candle as you slowly spin around a few times until you finish the Scary Mary jingle…you'll see her, there on the other side of the glass…reaching out to pull you into the mirror with her."

"Yeah, right!" Steve laughed as he shook his head and rolled his eyes some more, while everyone else just exchanged facial expressions, minus Dally, who was still smirking at Steve.

"Scary Mary looking through…Scary Mary, she sees you…Scary Mary looking through…Scary Mary, she's got you!" Dally laughed right back at Steve. "That's the jingle…and I believe you're goin' to need it Steve."

"Um…what?" Steve confusingly cocked an eyebrow as he crossed his arms over his chest again.

"That's the game of Scary Mary, man. Light a candle, get in the bathroom, slowly spin around in a circle until you finish saying that exact jingle, then look in the mirror…you'd be surprised what you see on the other side of the glass." Dally chuckled some more. "Come on, Stevie! I played this game all the time in New York, but I always escaped what I've spotted on the opposite side of the glass!"

Steve hesitated, needing a moment to catch and digest what Dallas just said, right before he narrowed his eyes and proclaimed the exact words from his lips, "Well, we're not in New York, Dally!"

Ryan dug himself deeper into his sleeping-bag, whimpering quietly like a lost and lonely little puppy that was in desperate need of a home, but nobody was noticing how afraid he looked now. They were all too busy watching Dally and Steve, and Ryan actually wanted to keep his fear hidden from everybody else. He was fourteen, so he kept reminding himself that he had to quit acting like a little child that was afraid of his own shadow.

"Ha! You're just saying that because you're afraid to do the game!" Dally laughed, pointing one of his pointer fingers at Steve, who's face turned red as his eyes narrowed more, giving off sharp anger.

"Am not!" Steve objected.

"Are too!" Dallas smirked.

"Am NOT!"

"Are TOO!"

"Dallas Winston!"

"Steve Randle!"

"Cut it out!"

"Then do the Scary Mary game!"

"I refuse!"

"You're such a stupid little girl!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

Darry rolled his eyes, kicking back in a sitting position with his tough and muscled arms holding his upper body up while his legs rested in front of him on his sleeping-bag.

"Can you two _girls _stop it with your arguing already?!" Darry asked. The irony in that was though that when Darrel Curtis asked a question like that, it was an order, not a suggestion or anything like that.

"It ain't my fault that Steve's afraid to do the game! It's only meant for one person to play, and I thought he'd have enough courage to do it, but turns out, he's nothin' but a chicken!" Dally smirked once again.

"I _am not _a chicken, Dallas Christopher Winston! I just don't want to play-" Steve began bellowing, but he stopped when Ryan wandered into his mind, and he reminded himself that just a simple cough or anything small like that could startle Ryan.

Dally was already calling him a chicken, and everyone else, except Ryan, seemed to be interested in this whole Scary Mary thing, so Steve knew for a fact that Dallas would remain calling him a chicken throughout the rest of his life if he didn't do the ridiculous game.

"Ugh! Fine!" Steve gave in, gritting his teeth a bit as he rubbed the sides of his head, then stood up from the floor. Everybody else stood up after him, even Ryan, who didn't want to be left alone, even though the bathroom was just a bit down the hall from the living room.

Dallas smirked in satisfaction more as he nodded his head.

"Good." he snickered "somebody get Randle here a candle."

In less than twenty seconds, Steve was already in the fancy downstairs bathroom of the Valence's mansion, now staring deep into the glass of one of the mirrors with a lit candle that Cherry had fetched for him being cuffed and held in his hands.

"Don't worry, Steve." Soda said "we'll each be right outside the door."

"Whatever." Steve mumbled to himself, just wanting to get this ridiculous game over with. Randy flicked off the lights, flooding the bathroom with pitch black darkness, and Dallas shut the door, leaving Steve in the bathroom all by himself as he scowled into the mirror, the only light now being in there the light that was given off from the flame of the candle.

"Scary Mary my butt…" Steve thought to himself, right before he closed his eyes, took in a deep breath, then released it, both through his mouth. He slowly began spinning around in a circle.

"Scary Mary looking through…" Steve's heart began to rapidly beat like a wild and crazy racing horse in his chest just after the first little sentence. "Scary Mary, she sees you…" Now Steve was starting to feel cold, but he was yet starting to sweat a bit at the same time. "Scary Mary looking through…" Steve took down a deep gulp to help clear the sudden lump that was resting in his throat, and without any hesitation, Steve wrapped up the jingle, saying the exact words, "Scary Mary, she's got you!"

Quickly, Steve opened his eyes back up as he stopped spinning. He looked deep into the mirror, but he only saw himself holding the candle. A smirk spread across Steve's face, getting ready to holler out that he didn't see anything and that he knew Scary Mary was nothing but a legend, but before Steve could let a single word out, he caught something in the corner of his eye…a hand that was covered with the color red.

Steve's eyes shot huge as he gazed directly back at the mirror, noticing that the candle light was lighting up somebody else who was suddenly in the bathroom with him.

"You called for me…Scary Mary…" a faint female voice sourly and bitterly hissed as another red covered hand showed in the darkness, but was lit up from the candle light.

"…No way…no way…it's just an illusion…it's just an illusion…it's just-" Steve attempted to convince himself what he was seeing and hearing was just in his head, but before he could say another single word, he saw standing there to his left…a fourteen-year-old looking girl that was dressed in a beautiful wedding gown, but it was torn up and covered in blood, just like her hands.

Steve's heart literally felt like it jumped right out of his chest and landed in his mouth. His skin paled whiter than a sheet, and he began breathing in and out rapidly to himself, trying his best to choke out anything the best he could, but he was desperately failing at getting any word out from being jammed in his throat.

"Come with me into the mirror…" the young girl hissed as she held out her bloody hands, trying to grasp a hold of Steve, but he quickly leaped back from her, not giving her a chance to even lay a finger on him.

"SCARY MARY!" Steve screeched at the top of his lungs, his voice nothing but shrills of fear and terror, and he quickly blew out the candle, flashed on the bathroom lights, then clenched the bathroom doors doorknob, twisting it around as fully as it could go around, and he bashed out of the bathroom.

The others each watched as Steve ran past each of them screaming away like there was no tomorrow until he was completely safe in the living room.

"Hey, Steve!" Dally laughed out "what's the matter? You're acting like you just saw a ghost!"

"Winston, I never thought I would say this, but you were right! I saw her! Scary Mary!" Steve called out from the Valence's living room.

Everybody in the gang, including Cherry, Randy, and Marcia, paled as their eyes shot wider than ever before. Well, Dallas didn't look scared. Not one bit. He only continued to laugh more. Then, as if on que, the fourteen-year-old looking girl came walking out of the bathroom.

"Oh my god! Steve and Dally were right! It's Scary Mary!" Marcia shouted in absolute fear, as if she just had a mouse brush across her foot.

"Don't worry, babe! I'll protect you!" Two-Bit leaped in front of his new girlfriend, blocking her and keeping her hidden so this fourteen-year-old looking girl couldn't even stare at her.

"Somebody call the police! The fire station! Ghostbusters! Somebody!" Randy panicked as he covered his eyes with both of his hands, now only peaking a bit from his slightly opened fingers.

Dallas rolled his eyes as he placed his hands on his hips. "Are you kidding me?! You guys _actually _fell for that?!" he shook his head in disbelief.

"What are you talkin' about, Winston?! It's right in front of us!" Darry informed, and if there was one main person in the greasers that was extremely hard to scare, it was Darrel Curtis.

Dally crossed his arms over his chest as he laughed some more. "People! I can't believe you guys fell for that! Everyone knows that there's no such things as ghosts! Scary Mary actually _is _a myth!"

"Then who's-" Soda began questioning who that fourteen-year-old looking girl was, but he shut himself up when he and everybody else witnessed her just stand there and grow a satisfied grin at them.

"Gee," she giggled "you're acting like you've never seen a fourteen-year-old in a Halloween costume before!"

"Wait a second…" Steve perked his head out from the living room through the wide arch doorway, realizing that voice like everyone else did, especially Cherry.

"Mary!" everyone, minus Ryan and Dallas, sighed with absolute relief as they placed their hands over their rapidly beating hearts, or they uncovered their eyes, or they wiped some sweat away from their faces.

"Haha! Yeah! It's me! I may be Mary, but I'm not Bloody Mary or Scary Mary. I'm just Mary Savannah Valence." Mary shared as she wiped away the red stuff that was bathing her hands all over the bloody wedding dress that she was then wearing.

"You pranked us?" Cherry asked her little sister, who had a smirk curl up on her lips after she heard that question.

"Yes and no." Mary answered as she placed her hands on her hips. "It was Dally's idea. He just needed my help for it, and I agreed. I only left the room to go upstairs and change into this costume that Mom never allowed me to wear for Halloween. I added some make-up also, and I quietly snuck back down here, continuing my way into the bathroom, where I hid in the shower until Steve finished the Scary Mary jingle." Mary then explained the entire prank to everyone, while Dally nodded his head, completely agreeing with every word that Mary was speaking.

"I'm going to kill you, Dally!" Steve growled, but Dallas only smirked as he rolled his eyes, knowing greatly that his prank worked. He gave Mary a high-five and told her that she did great. Mary thanked him until she left upstairs to go change back into her pajamas and wash the make-up off from her face and hands.

"Alright, alright," Cassidy giggled "I got to admit, that was a pretty good prank."

"…Yeah…I must say it was, too." Johnny nodded his head to his little sisters words, grinning while doing so. Dally grinned back at both of them and playfully messed up their hair, causing the two Cade's to smack his hands away, but Dallas always laughed at that.

"I think it's time to call the nighttime part of the sleepover finished. We really need our sleep to wake up for a delicious breakfast in the morning." Cherry informed, and that was all the greasers, including Marcia and Randy, needed to hear before they each rushed back into the Valence's living room and snuggled warmly and comfortably into their sleeping-bags, resting their eyes shut while doing so.

Ryan wanted his lion to be brushing up by his face as he closed his eyes, but he didn't want to risk taking it out until everyone was fast asleep. So, he had to forget about it at that time.

The grandfather clock went on and on, the time being said with every second, to every minute, and every minute to every hour. But nobody noticed. Everybody underneath the Valence's roof was fast asleep. That is…until the clock struck 4:00 in the morning.

Mary had woke up from a nightmare of her and Cherry almost dying in a car crash because Cherry was busy crying her heart out from thinking about how negative their folks were towards them as she drove the car…and she didn't get a hold of herself until it was too late…

Quietly, Mary stood up and stretched, carefully stepping over everyone else, who were each still remaining fast asleep in their own sleeping-bags with no sign of bad dreams at all. Mary then continued her way into the kitchen, and to her surprise, she actually saw Ryan sitting by the backdoor, curled up in a ball with his stuffed lion being held in his hands.

"Ryan?" Mary whispered. Since Ryan thought he was alone because everyone was fast asleep when he first woke up about fifteen minutes before from a bad dream of his own, he couldn't help himself to yelp, and when he looked up to see Mary seeing him through the doorway that entered the kitchen, his eyes widened as he paled, realizing that Mary had caught him with his stuffed lion. Ryan attempted hiding it, but it was too late. Mary was on her knees, by his side in seconds, now glancing directly at his stuffed lion.

"Ryan, that's a cute stuffed toy you have." Mary grinned, both tiredly and beautifully as she rubbed her eyes a bit with her fists. "It looks old." Mary added.

"…It is." Ryan informed her after he finally had enough courage to look at Mary straight in the eyes. "My brother, Gopher, got it for me."

Mary grinned again, trying to keep her laughs held in, but she couldn't help to chuckle after she heard what Ryan called his older brother.

"Forgive me, please…but your brothers name is _Gopher_?" Mary questioned. The corners of Ryan's mouth began to twitch a bit. He couldn't help smiling at least a tiny bit at that. Pretty much anybody would laugh at something like his brother being labeled with the nickname "Gopher".

"No, that's just his nickname. His real name is Christopher, but me and his pals call him Gopher, just like they call me Lion…that explains why Gopher got me this lion stuffed animal…I was six when he got it for me by stealing it. It was new at the time, obviously…but after all of these years of keeping it and having it with me everywhere I go, it started getting worn out…however, I can't even allow anybody to see it. You weren't supposed to see it either." Ryan explained everything, his voice remaining soft with every word he spoke.

"Why ever not?" Mary shrugged her shoulders in a confused manner.

"Because…" Ryan took in a deep breath and let it out as a sigh. He stared at Mary, his eyes big and filled with plead like a lost pups. "…Look at me here…I'm fourteen, and stuffed toys are for babies…I can't let anyone else know that I actually carry around and sleep with a stuffed animal at my age."

"Ryan, it doesn't matter what age you are, ya know?" Mary pointed out "you'll always be a kid at heart. Everybody is, no matter how they act or what they look like. Just because you're fourteen doesn't mean you can't show people what you truly adore. Your brother got you this stuffed lion. It's valuable to you here."

"Yes, but…" Ryan sighed "I don't see anybody else here sleeping with stuffed toys."

"Ryan, Cherry told me that Two-Bit still sleeps with Mickey Mouse plush toys here. He's seventeen. Need I bring out the facts that everyone has a valuable possession that means so much to them like that stuffed lion means to you because of Gopher?" Mary asked. When Ryan didn't say anything back, she went on talking. "…Ya know…I still sleep with stuffed animals, especially this puppy one that Cherry got me for my sixth birthday."

Ryan's eyes grew big a bit as he stared back at Mary, the two of them now completely silent. Mary bit her lip a bit and nodded her head when the quietness between her and Ryan lasted for about fifteen or so seconds.

"It's true, Ryan." Mary backed herself up "and if you need something to help you take your mind off of this, I know something that we can both do."

The sudden grin on Mary's face made Ryan completely cautious, whether he liked it or not.

"What?" he concernedly asked, but instead of getting a verbal response, he just witnessed Mary continue to grin at him as she stood up from the floor, right before she opened the backdoor of her house. Ryan didn't know what she was up to, but he quickly followed her example when she just headed outside.

"Where are we going?" Ryan asked, closing the backdoor a whole lot quieter after he stepped out onto the back porch, but Mary kept on walking, that smile still plastered on her face as her eyes sparkled with happiness.

"Just follow me!" Mary told Ryan, and no problem happened there. Ryan didn't want to be left alone, so he quickly scampered down the porch steps and traced after Mary, who was now just standing there on the stones, glancing down at the crystal clear and dazzling water that filled the pool.

"You ready to see?" Mary asked after Ryan had made it by her side, him still clenching his lion close to his stomach. Ryan gazed around for a second with one of his eyebrows raised to make sure that nobody was around, before he looked back at Mary and shrugged his shoulders.

"Sure…I guess." he softly and hesitantly answered. He watched Mary continue to smile at him for a few more seconds, but right after he noticed her look down at herself and grasp the bottom of her baggy pajama shirt, starting to tug it up, Ryan quickly looked away, his face now starting to heat up as he protested for Mary to keep her clothes on.

"Relax, Ryan. I have my swimsuit on underneath this." Mary said, slipping off her pajama pants right after she dropped her baggy pajama shirt to the stone. Mary didn't want to change out of her swimsuit earlier because she just wanted to save time so everyone wouldn't be waiting for her, and she's been wearing her swimsuit underneath her pajamas and even when she dressed up to scare Steve.

However, right after Ryan heard the word Swimsuit come out of Mary's mouth, his eyes shot huge as he paled, and when he looked back at Mary, he knew that she was telling him the truth.

"Mary Valence, what are you doing?!" Ryan blurted out.

Mary flipped her short red hair a little as she flashed Ryan a grin. "What's it look like?" she kindly chuckled, and without giving Ryan a single chance to respond, she dove right into the pool.

"What are you waiting for, Ryan? Come on in!" Mary cheered out after she popped back out of the water from underneath.

"I can't!" Ryan told her, already starting to feel his face begin to heat up from embarrassment.

"Why not?" Mary questioned, her eyebrow raised with absolute confusion on why Ryan get in the pool.

Ryan didn't know what to say. He was a terrible liar, so lying was out of the question, and if he repeated that he just couldn't, he'd just seem like he was trying to hide something…which he was, but still. He couldn't swim, so he thought it'd be easier to just get it off his chest right then and there.

"I, um…I…uh…look, can you keep a secret?" Ryan asked.

Mary nodded her head. "I swear I'll keep your secret. What is it?"

Ryan took in a deep breath and let it out, right before he rested his stuffed lion down on the stone, further back from the water that was fully contained in the pool.

"…I can't swim." Ryan admitted finally.

"You…what?" Mary couldn't believe what seriously came out of Ryan's mouth. She thought that he was only joshing, or joking around, with her, but when she saw how red his face was turning from embarrassment, and he nodded his head slowly a couple of times, Mary knew that he wasn't messing around with her.

"Why didn't you just tell me?" Mary softly questioned, keeping her tone sweet and polite, but yet filled with concern at the same time.

Ryan shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know…I was just embarrassed, I guess. I'm a fourteen-year-old boy who carries around and sleeps with a stuffed toy, is afraid of his own shadow, and can't even swim…yeah, I'm a winner."

"Ryan, don't be sarcastic with yourself! You're seriously a great guy!" Mary assured as she paddled her way over to Ryan, right before she slowly reached out her hand to him. Ryan knew what she was thinking.

"Come in the pool with me, Ryan…I'll teach you to swim."

Ryan wasn't sure at first, taking a moment to think about Mary and how she is. She was sweet and kind, plus humorous, but yet protective. Could he trust her?

Ryan just stared at Mary's wet hand that was still reaching out towards him as he thought a million questions secretly to himself. Then it struck Ryan…Mary was nothing like his father…she was actually talking to him by asking him if he was alright, encouraging him to be himself, and just in general she was sticking around him, not shunning him or beating him, treating him like he's invisible one moment, and the next he's nothing but a punching bag…that's what won over Ryan's mind and final decision.

Carefully and slowly, Ryan reached out his hand and grasped Mary's. A smile actually fully formed on Ryan's face as he witnessed Mary's eyes spark up with joy, and without anymore hesitation, Ryan carefully climbed into the water, not caring if he was dressed in his pajamas, which he truly was.

Ryan clung to Mary, who held him close as well when she drew him away from the edge of the pool, telling him softly to just kick his legs back and forth underneath the water.

"Hold onto me now." Mary then instructed. Ryan placed his hands on Mary's shoulders, causing both of their noses to touched as they gazed directly into each others eyes.

"Um…oh…wow…uh…is it just me or is this water boiling hot?" Ryan, half embarrassedly, questioned, but he filled up with absolute relief when Mary actually giggled. The two fourteen year olds continued to gaze into each others eyes for a few more seconds, until they completely zoned out, drawing closer and closer…until their lips finally met.

Yep, no questions needed to be asked…Ryan and Mary weren't friends…but they were more than that…a happily coupled boyfriend and girlfriend...and Ryan totally wouldn't mind _her _teaching him how to swim.

The End


End file.
